The best word to describe today’s ride is bumpy. Yes it was flat, mostly dry and pleasant, but overwhelmingly bumpy. Imagine riding 60+ miles on a rumble strip and you’ll have a good sense of 3/4s of our day. I found myself looking across to the other side of the road, and down cross roads and imaging that if we were only on those roads things would be smoother. The ubiquitous “grass is always greener” thinking. And as my thoughts continued down that path I thought of the many Facebook posts I’ve read of parents frustrated with having to spend so much time with their children these days at the same time as I yearn to be with my children (knowing full well that they will be making me crazy within the hour when I do see them). The solution, of course, lies in acceptance of the circumstances in which you find yourself. As Buddha once said: happiness is actually quite simple—the secret is to learn to want what you have and not want what you don’t have. Said another way: happiness = reality – expectations. Much easier said than done but certainly worth aspiring to. May we all learn to accept and be happy and embrace the bumpy times as readily as the smooth. With love from Lumberton, TX.