Let 'em Shine...

[DDT (12)]

Let ‘em Shine…

Under certain circumstances, our 'pearly whites' can actually seem to sparkle and shine with unusual brilliance... Among the best examples of that are when they are framed by wide-eyed, jubilant faces joyously experiencing moments of shear glee... Just such plentiful moments always present at the Quad States Ride but appearing to this observer/attendee to have been even more abundant and joyous than usual this time. Perhaps it was just me, but I don't really think so...

I continue to be frustratingly unable to adequately define what it is that makes our Valk community so much more special to me than any other with which I’ve ever been associated. It simply cannot be any sort of commonality in our backgrounds, religions, or political persuasions, as those are incredibly diverse and far-ranging. Although primarily in the US, our members are literally scattered all over the globe, so no underlying significant shared geographic links… Our work lives are as varied as the grains of sand on a beach, so that can’t be it either…

Could it be the bike itself? Well, that amazing machine certainly is what drew us together in the first place, but even a casual glance at the parking lot at any of our gatherings nowadays will inform the observer that there is really nothing common about the variety of scooters resting peacefully upon their side stands. The glue that binds us must be found in the make-up of the characters themselves. Perhaps even in the ‘character’ itself of those present… I think I just might be onto something here…

No matter with whom I may find myself chatting, some common threads always do seem to bubble to the surface somewhere along the way… Good people who do good things in their lives. Folks who serve in various ways to aid in the provision of assistance or some other unmet need of others… but more than that… They also serve as shining examples of ‘good living’... By that I mean they are honest, respectable, caring, peaceful members of their communities back home, and their example sets an unexpressed benchmark towards which others can aspire.

They have a keen awareness that none of us get through this life without helping others or having to be helped by others at some point. Long-term survival in the struggle of life is indeed a collaborative effort. While others may grumble about all they don’t have, our family members seem to delight in what they do have… and, never half empty, their ‘cups’ always seem to be brimming over…

Most people who’ve managed to reach adulthood are at least aware of that at some level. Most, unfortunately, don’t see any rewards to be found in the pursuit of goodness. Life is largely viewed by them as a zero-sum game in which the ‘winners’ are the ones who garner the most goodies/benefits through the least expenditures of effort, means, and/or capital. A few even view doers of good as ‘suckers’. They tend to be ‘me’ focused with little regard for ‘we’…

Some, however, come to realize that self-satisfaction, self-respect, and self-awareness are nearly impossible to find without doing their part in society to the extent they are able… pulling their own weight and perhaps even more than their share. They also fully appreciate that giving, sharing, and helping are not zero-sum events after all…

An amazing irony in life is that doing good things often has paybacks proportionately larger than the original deed! ‘Rewards’ may not be directly associated with the deed itself or even be ‘in-kind’ in nature, but we are rewarded someway/somehow and often, the rewards are greater than our gifts… There is a catch, though…

‘Doing good things’ cannot be done solely with the expectation of some reward in mind. Doing good things must be done for the sake of doing good. We must simply do good for its own sake and allow anything else to take its own course… or even not to happen at all. The true reward of goodness ultimately lies in the personal spiritual lift we get from…

I’m preaching to the choir again, aren’t I? … All y’all already know all of this, or you wouldn’t still be here. I’m more than anything simply trying to identify and capture ‘the essence’ of our family and commit it to writing for my own future reading…

Anyway, the people I encounter at our events enjoy all the obvious things built into them… The riding, the food, the social exchanges, the jokes and storytelling, and especially all the laughter. I believe they are also there for other significant reasons, however… and those are what really define us more than anything else I’ve found, and they are, I think, what make us so special and/or unique.

There is great value in casual, intimate association with the caliber of people who also attend. To just hang with truly good folks positively reinforces many our own choices in life, it reminds us that there is goodness in our sometimes-disappointing world around us, and it just plain feels good to share a smile and have a chat with someone for whom we have genuine respect and affection.

So, my friends, let those ‘pearly whites’ glow: I know mine are still shining brightly! I’m thinking “12” sums up my current feeling just about right…

DDT (12)

[Oldfishguy]

Great observations!

I think it has something to do with the self confidence our riders share.  We do not follow the crowd and ride HD’s, and that in itself takes self confidence.  The gumption to do something different is a rare trait.  And then that spills over in to our everyday lives as well.  Pretty fair to say we had that self awareness before we bought our machines; we knew we were going against the grain early on. 

[robin]

Awsome perspective Bruce great write up

[Rams]

Let ‘em Shine…

Snip

I’m preaching to the choir again, aren’t I? … All y’all already know all of this, or you wouldn’t still be here.

Some things can't be said enough and you say it so well.  All I can say is Amen Brother!!   
Stay safe and keep the shiney side up.

Rams

[old2soon]

      Dang Bro you have a Pure KNACK fer hittin certain nails Square on the head! I've always kinda sorta figured I was a bit Different than most other Riders in that I CHOOSE to Not Follow certain customs and expectations. My Green VRCC shirt with the Dragon and the words-Valkyrie by Choice-sum it all up rather nicely and neatly. AND that particular shirt startin to show some decent amount of "age"!  Much like the owner of said shirt!  When we converse at I 23 seemed like and we KNEW those years in between did NOT matter in the least!  Keep up the scribe work PLEASE as I enjoy it near as much as a RIDE-almost!  RIDE SAFE.

[Valkorado]

Bruce, some of your ancedotes call me back for a second read.  This one pulled me in for a third.  It's a gem!

We're all given life.  The choice to live is ours alone.  It's all about attitude and attitude is up to us -- although getting hit upside the head by the Almighty's righteous staff every so often has a way of keeping us a bit more in focus.   

One thing I have learned (thanks, dad).  I can hear him now.  "If you look for the negatives in life, I'll guran-damn-tee you you'll find them."  Conversely if you look for the positives in life they'll become obvious, and materialize right before your eyes.  You begin to see that rainbow, that mountain, that sunset you were gazing at but not registering.  They were there all along, but obscured behind a cloud of triviality.

The most positive influence we will know are those special individuals who have enhanced our lives with compassion, friendship and laughter. Those unconditional gifts, and the associated memories can never be taken from us.  Things are only fockin' things.  Most of em crap out, need maintenance or become obsolete.

Yessir my cup is brimming over, and often with strong black coffee.  I'll keep flashing my remaining stained choppers at life at every opportunity I get.  I've earned my gray hairs, wrinkles, bags, sags, furrows and crows feet too.  But I'm most proud of my deep laugh lines...

Life's too short to take ourselves too damn seriously.

[thedon]

Bruce,
Great thoughts as always. You have a way with words that captures anyone that cares to read them.
Good seeing you again.
Until the next time.
Ride safe my friend.
TheDon

[Wizzard]

I sure enjoyed my visit with you Saturday. I always do 

[Oss]

yes I too read it over and over  IMHO it is not the "club" it is the people who make up the club

I have heard that whatever is important about human relations we may have learmed in kindergarden

Maybe Erma Bomback said it or not

A smile on one's face when saying hello and a hug or firm handshake when saying goodbye

Some of us just ride around helping people

Others just are doing their thing but when the opportunity arises, like the minutemen of old new england, they are there ready to assist

Yes, repairing the world is a forever endeavor, but grace, gratitude and faith in God power many of us thru the days and fill our cups

The hard thing for me is watching those we care for, suffer thru mishaps, scrapes and dangers, concern for those in harm's way and hope for their future recovery

Nobody gets out alive, but the willingness to be there for others helps the journey stay in a good light

Ride on Bruce and write on

[f6john]

I enjoy my visits with Bruce because enthusiasm for life does rub off a little and almost all encounters involve smiles and grins and laughter. Every once in a while it’s good to lay down life’s load and the associated worries for tomorrow and just embrace the moment and few do that as well as our friend. Other than the occasional nap I find our friend wringing out the fullness of everyday, would that we could all squeeze out as much as Bruce.




This is not a totally gratuitous photo and is actually an extremely rare moment in time when it was not raining in Roanoke!

[The emperor has no clothes]

“There is great value in casual, intimate association with the caliber of people who also attend. To just hang with truly good folks positively reinforces many our own choices in life, it reminds us that there is goodness in our sometimes-disappointing world around us, and it just plain feels good to share a smile and have a chat with someone for whom we have genuine respect and affection.”


Couldn’t agree more !  

[Valkorado]

Not sleep.  Satori.

[RNFWP]

Thanks Bruce!