Perhaps I was supposed to stumble across this video right now.

A flame of recognition runs through me each time I hear Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush sing Don’t Give Up. Woven through the lyrics and melody is a story of struggle, surrender, and hope. As the year nears an end I find myself more deeply engaged in reflection and the paths I have wandered. Old wounds and loss, opportunities squandered, poor choices and unfortunate circumstance. It’s good to remember. And perfect days with a wife who loves me, support of family and friends, good food, fine chocolate, fast sunrises over clear roads, and so much more to be grateful for. All these memories make up the tapestry of my life and remind me that smooth roads follow rough ones. Around each bend is something new.

Snow be damned I wanted to ride today. Left in the dark to have an early breakfast with my friend Howard. The streets in town were dressed in tiny white lights for the holidays. The Christmas spirit has taken hold. The roads were mostly clear and I was riding in straight lines so any sudden ice in the dark would be more easily negotiated. The weather forecast called for a chance of a sudden inch or so of snowfall about the time I would be riding to work but I’ll deal with that if and when it comes.