The Good Life?

What is the definition of a good life?  In my own personal view this definition changes depending on who you talk to during the course of a day.  During the course of my day, yesterday, I had a vision of what it was like to have a good life.  Work was, by all intent and purpose, decent and I was able to get home at a good enough hour to jump on the bike for about a 50 mile ride.  During the ride, something clicked.  I was rolling along and didn't notice anything.  It wasn't a chore.  I wasn't thinking about how many miles I'd done or how many were left.  Or, thinking about how I am going to pay my bills with the lousy job I have. Water was in the bottles and I was along for the ride.  It was really enjoyable.  And, I was comfortable in my own skin for the first time in months.  Bicycling has saved my butt during a divorce and a devastating end to a beautiful relationship.  And, it has helped me overcome a debilitating injury.

I am still having neck issues and will never be able to just openly not worry about how much I lift, but I am strengthening it and the rest of my body every day and have gotten to the point where I can go about the day without most worries. 
7 months ago I could barely move my neck.  By focusing on my bike and on goals, I have accomplished so much.  I even own a record.  It may fall tomorrow, but the goal was accomplished.

The rest of the day was the same.  Jared came home from school and we ate dinner.  As I looked outside, I noticed that there wasn't the normal rain that we have been so accustomed to the last weeks and months.  I called my friend, Kim, and asked if he was going to the PMS ride.  He said yes!  Jared and I discussed if he wanted to go and if I could...he said something to the effect of why haven't you left yet, already...You have to love it!  I immediately changed back into my wet clothes and was off to the ride.

The ride was a lot of fun.  More people are showing up with different abilities and people are content to break off into small groups and not become bitter if they are dropped or have a hard day.  To me, this just means I am able to go work as hard as I want or kick back and chat with some fun people.  On this night, I just decided that since the week had been hard and my legs were sore I would do the pulling at a medium pace and try not to drop everybody. 
There should at least be a challenge, though.  I would wait until people were latched on and then I would pull them at 24 to 25 until they would start dropping off.  Overall the ride went well and I was able ride another 25 miles and work off some more of the running soreness from too many miles on a single day.

After I returned home, Jared and I chilled out and talked about his first week at school and what he liked the best.  I enjoyed a beer and a snuggle with the dog while Jared and I got caught up.

So, I ask again.  What is the definition of a good life?  Is it money?  What town you're in?  What job you have?  I think some people would answer "yes" to those questions.  Not me at this time.  Happiness for me is being close to the ones I love and having a goal that sets you down a path of freedom of the heart.  Would I love to have a job that can pay all my bills? Yes...working on it!  Do I let it define me?  NO!  Nor should you...Enjoy the ride, my friends!