Nature's rewards

Here follows one of the best paragraphs in a book I've read in a long time. Yes, it's a cycling book, but it can easily be applied to anything else:

"...after the finish all the suffering turns to memories of pleasure, and the greater the suffering, the greater the pleasure. That is Nature's payback to riders for the homage they pay her by suffering. Velvelt pillows, safari parks, sunglasses: people have become wooly mice. They still have bodies that can walk for five days and four nights through a desert of snow, without food, but they accept praise for having taken a one-hour bicycle ride. 'Good for you.' Instead of expressing gratitude for the rain by getting wet, people walk around with umbrellas. Nature is an old lady with few suitors these days, and those who wish to make use of her charms she rewards passionately." Tim Krabbe, The Rider

At first I took exception to the bit about accepting praise for a short bike ride, but I realize...he's right. Why should I be so proud of such a little thing, when I enjoy doing it? When I survive a near disaster ride and live to tell the tale...that's praise worthy. Suffering is a heavily used word in the cycling world. The French actually prefer to watch a hero suffer and not win, than watch a rider easily win. There's more pathos...more drama. Watching a man suffer and finish is something to be proud of. Watching a man (or team) handily whip the competition is the what Americans love. Isn't that why the Yankees and the Cowboys were/are so loved (maybe the Patriots more recently)? Isn't that why they are so highly regarded in the American sports world? Didn't it take Lance Armstrong's unbelievable 7 (SEVEN!) TdF wins to finally draw America's attention to professional cycling? This is a cultural difference I find interesting. I prefer the French side...but then I've usually preferred the underdog.

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I've been insisting that Grace walk to school (only missed two days so far!). I didn't know why other than I think it's important. So, why is it important? I've come to this answer. We are so removed from the natural world. We have kids wearing shorts in the dead of winter. They don't see the ridiculousness of this. It makes no logical, natural sense. I want Grace to experience nature, the changing of the seasons in an immediate way. It can be slighly uncomfortable, but not dangerous if logical precautions are taken i.e. coat, hat, gloves, etc. So you have red cheeks when you arrive...so you have to hold an umbrella up. (Yes, I realize the irony of the umbrella, with what he said in the quote above, but we're further from Nature than even the author was in the '70's. Baby steps...back to nature.) She doesn't get it now...but she will later. Hell, I think I suffer more than she does...she's never cold! I, on the other hand, am cold most of the time in the winter, but it's good for her...and for me. Fresh air is good, even if it's frozen air.

Which leads me to this: the best line in the selection above: "Nature is an old lady with few suitors these days, and those who wish to make use of her charms she rewards passionately."