Hallelujah!!! After two months, my car aka Seabiscuit is driveable. I was so upset on Friday, July 10, 2009 when the car dealer informed me it would cost $1,546 in repairs to get Seabiscuit fixed. In fact, upset is an understatement. I was indeed furious. I felt like I was being taken advantage of by unscrupulous, greedy, people. In my haste, I filled out a form online to give my car away. The next day, Saturday, I talked to my Cursillo friends. What is Cursillo? According to the National Episcopal Cursillo, the goal of Cursillo is "to change the world, to remake the world in Christ and to restore all things to Christ," beginning with our own environments. I participated in a three day Cursillo Retreat. The Three-Day Weekend introduces the strategy of Cursillo – a structure or a backbone for Christian life in every environment. The Fourth Day represents the ways that we continue to support each other in living that Christian life and it consists of Group Reunion, Ultreya, Spiritual Direction, and Communities in Action. My Cursillo group meets on Saturdays.
I shared with the Cursillo group, my transportation frustrations. My friends of course could relate to my car dilemma. I was so mad. I told my friends that I will just ride my bicycle until I save enough money for a new car. "What about saving up money to get your car fixed?" someone asked. No, I am so mad I plan to give my car away and start over with a new car, was my reply.
So, how did that work out? Well, I did not sign the documents to donate Seabiscuit. Instead, I used all my fury to fuel the energy I needed to pedal. I pedaled to work and back. I live 6 miles from work. The route I bike has lots of sidewalks and it is 10 miles. I biked a total of 20 miles a day, 5 days a week totaling 100 miles a week. This does not include the other places I went on my bike aka Mandy. (Yes, my bike and car have names.) I did everything on my bike, I went to the movie cinema, shopping, church, and work. Amazingly, the weather was great. Thanks to God, I did not get caught in torrential rain or high winds. I began commuting by bike to work August 7. As of September 13, 2009, I was still commuting by bicycle. After riding my bike almost everyday, how do I feel? I feel healthier. I also feel closer to God and my environment. There is nothing like seeing outdoor scenery free from the confines and insulation of an automobile. I was able to catch close up glimpses of nature. The creatures of nature tend to stay and continue in their natural habits instead of scurrying away. I was able to feel the warmth of the midday sun. I biked in the luminous light of the harvest moon. I hope and pray future generations will also have the same privilege to witness the beauty of our earth.(Click on the title "Seabiscuit's Resurrection" for a cool treat).
Now, that I have my car back, I plan to use it sparingly. Since I purchased my bike in May, I have rode more than 900 miles. When Seabiscuit was in a coma, Mandy was reliable and dependable. I rode my bike to the auto shop to pick up my car. After paying the very big repair bill, (I ended up going to another auto shop that charged me less than the dealer) I put my bike in the trunk of the car. It worked out well after all.
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