This summer has been full of adventures for me. From May to September, I cycled a distance of over 9,500 km on a mission to raise awareness of parkinson’s disease and raise funds for research and programs. I visited hundreds of towns and cities in the US and Canada, climbed mountains and crossed rivers, and talked with so many people of different ages and backgrounds. To say that this trip transformed my body and my view of life is an understatement.
Every day, I only needed to focus on one thing: to ride my bike forward, but I got so much out of this simple task. The ride may start on bumpy gravel. You may encounter muddy and sandy segments that are not rideable at first glance. Sometimes, the road becomes narrow with potholes and cracks. But the road is long, and you can always count on something beautiful around the corner. As you travel further, confidence, skills, and endurance grow in you, you start to appreciate the beautiful red leaves along the bumpy roads, seeing turkeys and chipmunks running on trails makes you laugh, and you wave and smile to people passing by, spreading the happiness. The wind, hills, and rain do not bother you as much because you see beauty in all conditions and accept them as part of a ride.
I used to think that hope is like candle flame. It flares up when positivity is around and there is a further to be seen. And it dims down when bad things push me into darkness. But now I view it differently. Hope is like wildflowers. It is alive, it grows, it spreads, and it paints the field into something vibrant and colorful. Its root grasps deep down into the ground, nourishing the land with resilience and strength. Seeing people lightened up after a conversation gives us hope. Riding with a group of over 80 cyclists gives us hope. Celebrating living well with the disease with communities gives us hope. Our hope is growing and spreading across the country like wildflowers.
Thank you for showing up and thank you for being part of our story this summer.
