No More Motorcycles

“Your motorcycle days are over.”  The words moved across the room in slow motion, cartoon-like, as if in a dialogue cloud.  And then they sped up as they got to me and hit me right between the eyes.  Her husband would never ride a motorcycle again.  His motorcycle days were over.

We had just finished up a talk I had given on estate planning.  We were talking about the What About Me worksheets that I like to bring up.  I had passed out the worksheets and a discussion ensued about some of the little things that were important to everyone in the room.  The topic of motorcycles had come up and Frank’s eyes lit up (Frank is not his real name). Frank is dealing with some significant health issues.  His wife said, clearly without intending to be harsh, that Frank’s motorcycle days are over.

I don’t ride motorcycles, but I think Frank really enjoyed riding.  It is a simple thing.  I guess it is a little item in the grand scheme of things.  But, in a flash, I felt the power of this simple thing and what the loss of it must mean.  The words cut into me and opened up thoughts of little, simple things that make up my life.  You know, real life.  Not the big, dramatic things, but the simple stuff.  Eating waffles with strawberries and whip cream, like the ones I had when I was a kid at the Seattle World’s Fair.  Driving my car with the windows down.  Going to a Mariner Game with my sons.  Having coffee with my wife.  Reading the newspaper.

Don’t take life for granted.  You really never know when you might lose the ability to do and enjoy the little things.