Love on a Bicycle

I've never believed that we only have one love in life. I just don't think it's possible, in part because I don't think love stops when life moves forward. I still love everyone I've ever loved no matter how great or small that love was. The love may have shifted and changed form, but I think love is like matter. It can't really be created or destroyed. I suspect that when we "fall in love" we are just becoming aware of something that has always been and always will be. I've fallen in love in kindergarten, in History class, in marching band, on vacation, at a kitchen table and most recently on a bicycle.

I suppose my first love (if you want to call it that) was in kindergarten. I was so smitten that with some spelling advice from my mother I wrote the poor chap a love letter. Of course I failed to consider that he might not be able to read the note and much to my horror he took the letter to the teacher to read it to him.

In eighth grade there was a boy with unnerving confidence and floppy blond hair who sat near me in history class. I LIVED for history class, I was in awe of everything about him, even though I knew absolutely nothing and as best I can recall never even spoke to him.............

My high school sweetheart was in the marching band with me, and a talented musician and songwriter even at the age of fifteen. He saw (and still sees) the world through different eyes than the rest of us and his creativity and quirky sensibilities were absolutely intoxicating.

I met my ex-husband on a family vacation. He was the first person I'd met outside of art class who had ever heard of the Pieta and actually loved Shakespeare. We were the best of friends and had the most amazing conversations from the moment we met and for 10 years after that.

I never dreamed the story would continue, but divorce has a funny way of opening the heart to new loves and so I fell in love over dirty dishes and half empty bottles of wine sitting at a kitchen table.

Then one day I started biking with a new friend I'd met along the way. We rode 22 miles round trip every Monday for weeks on end and we talked and laughed about everything. Somewhere along the way we fell in love, and my dear friend became so much more to me. We became so close on that bike path, he is the only person I've ever known who I trust enough to share everything without reservation. I can say anything at all and it will be okay. It all sort of snuck up on me and was even a little startling. And then, even more to my surprise, I fell in love again, this time with his daughter. This past Christmas he asked me to be his wife and I said, "Yes."

So, of all the places to fall in love, so far a bicycle has been my favorite :-) And although I believe that we have many loves in our lifetime, I also believe that there can be one who holds the special distinction of being the love of your life. I hope that the new loves in my life will all grow out of this love, and that is what makes this one the love of my life.