5/04/2005 10:34:00 AM|||Joel VandenBrink|||In was about Thanksgiving of the year 2003. I had just bought my first motorcycle (which turned out to be a lemon, but that is a whole different story). I was telling people at school how excited I was to finally have a motorcycle (i had wanted one since i was a freshman in college, but motorcycles are considered 'toys' in michigan and i couldn't afford a 'toy.') and Paul Steinke casually asked me, "What is your theology of a motorcycle?" a what? is this possible? the words 'theology' and 'motorcycle' had never been but in the same sentence before, at least in the presence of me. I fumbled through my words in a meager attempt to answer the question, and then I eventually said, "I'll have to get back to you on that one, I'm not sure I know."
Well Paul, it is now 16 months later and it just dawned on me yesterday what you were talking about -- or at least i can try to wrap some more words around it.
Yesterday was a beautiful day in Seattle, it had rained over night and so the morning was gray and a little bit dreary. I went to the gym and worked out, came back to the condo, worked on my writing, and ate lunch. Around 12:30 I hopped on my bike to head north up to work. By this point in the day the sun had come up, dried out the roads and the temperature was about 60. I was maybe halfway into my trip when I became aware of how aware I was. You see, motorcycles are dangerous, this is a well known fact. The lesser known fact is that motorcycles can be safe, but it all depends on the riders awareness. So here I was, in the diamond lane going roughly 70 with a truck (like a ford truck, not a semi)in front of me. I generally don't ride behind trucks, especially when they have stuff in them. But, in this case, I had made an exception. My senses were telling me that a car was coming up behind me -- thus closing an escape path and there was very little shoulder next to me-- thus i was boxed in, behind a truck full of junk. I then zeroed into the truck's bed contents in front of me. I saw a couple garbage bags, some lumber, a desk, a desk chair, and in the far back of the bed a large wooden doll house (the type that a 4 year old girl can fit inside). One second later (at the most), the doll house was no longer in the bed of the truck, it was airborne, coming straight at me, on my motorcycle when I didn't have an escape path (something motorcyclists stress more than anything, '"always have an escape path" I can hear from my safety instructor). Thus enters my theology of a motorcycle (in part) -- for the next words out of my mouth were "O God." Instantly all four appendages of mine went to work. The left hand pulled in the clutch, the left foot down shifted, the right hand squeezed the front brake and the right foot applied the rear brake. I shifted my weight and swerved. Or at least it felt like I swerved, I'm not exactly sure what I did -- except make it safely past the doll house and it crumbled into pieces on the highway. I then upshifted to speed past the truck, partially from the adrenaline rush and partially because I wanted to get the heck out of there.
If I were to draw a theological framework around this story I would talk about how God wants us to be attentive to our bodies and to our senses -- they are telling us something. We need only to listen and be ready for the unexpected. For if I had been day dreaming I may not be sitting at my kitchen table typing these words. And yet, because I was aware of my surroundings I knew not to swerve into the next lane, I knew not to swerve to my left into the non-existent shoulder, I knew what was going on in front of me and I trusted my senses.
maybe, just maybe, I experienced a glimpse of what Eastern religions have claimed for years -- meditation is a way to experience God. For, if meditation is being aware of your body then I was in a state of meditation.
peace
joel|||111522997073559844|||theology of a motorcycle?5/04/2005 04:37:10 PM|||Anonymous|||Wow. From one rider to another (and as one of the faithful who loves to read your thoughts), I can only imagine how this event must have changed your whole day, not to mention how you will feel for the next week every time you get ready to ride.
What is it about a motorcycle that is so spiritual? Is it the oneness that we feel with the machine when we ride? Is it that we are flirting with danger every new mile? Whatever it is, you are right...it brings us into a greater awareness of our bodies, our thoughts, our feelings. To me, even the road comes alive and my surroundings, though they fly by at 70 mph, seem so much closer, so much more my kin than from a car. Perhaps its becoming one in finiteness that makes touch the truth of our creaturehood.
I always appreciate what you have to say and am honored to know you. I am therefore also deeply grateful for the gift of nimbleness and reactiveness that you were given yesterday. Keep writing, keep riding, and keep pressing onward, to lay hold of the kingdom of God with force. After all, "forceful men lay hold of it."
What did you decide on for the next two years of your future with Mars Hill?
Nate
Thanks for sharing this story5/04/2005 08:57:40 PM||||||Dear Nate,
Thank-you for those words to my husband, you are a tremendous blessing for the both of us, I am honored that joel has such a wise and loving friend as you to share his life moments with.
Thank-you.
-Brooke5/05/2005 02:32:04 PM|||Joel VandenBrink|||Thank You Nate. Thanks for many things, but two of them being your wisdom and your heart. Let us press on together...
Joel5/10/2005 10:56:02 PM|||ethan|||hi joel this is ethan.
i'm in india and have also had several near-misses on my motorcycle. i feel i can confirm that yes, you had an eastern mystic experience. the i becomes thou and the you and the road become one. i had a similar experience while eating fruit loops this morning.5/11/2005 11:20:45 AM|||Joel VandenBrink|||ethan -
I do not know whether to take your comment seriously or to laugh -- so I choose to do both.
It is good to hear from you.
Joel