In praise of the Morning Roll

The day starts well for most people when they don't spill their morning coffee, get to school or work on time, and don't find unpleasant e-mails in their inbox. Our day starts well when we ride our bike. Which means that our day starts well almost every day.

There are few things in the world that we enjoy more than a bicycle ride. The breeze on the skin, the slight burning of the lungs, the fast pumping of our hearts. The speed, modulated by the power of our very own legs. The excitement of zooming through the bends of the road, street or bike path. The glee flooding our heads as we get off our bicycles, mission accomplished.

Then we sit down to devour delicious muffins and bowls of oatmeal, feeling no guilt whatsoever for such caloric indulgences. Because our morning roll earned us a morning roll.

And then we walk diligently to our classroom or office, a smile in our brain, sometimes on our face too. Feeling different amid the river of bodies that zombie their way from bed to chair. "I am a cyclist. I've been up for hours now, riding my bicycle. I have already proven my mettle today. I am alive and awake. I am a cyclist. I am special."

And then at night we get our kit ready. And we diligently set our alarms for 5.30am (or earlier!) and we get in bed with a quiet smile in our brain, transporting ourselves to a very near future where we hop on our bikes and ride away, and watch the sun rising, and everything is fine.

Thank you, bicycle. I love you and I always will. Every day, eight days a week.