This past weekend I moved and I was moved.  My husband, a friend of ours and myself were a team for the MS ride that starts in Grand Bend and goes to London, Ontario.  It’s 88 km’s the first day and 75 the second.  I was able to participate last year and I remember how moved I was to see all these people coming together for a mutual cause, MS.  There are even riders wearing red jersey’s that say “I ride because I have MS.” This year there were a few people over 70 years old riding and one man was 84!  Each time I saw these people over the weekend I was deeply moved.

 

At the starting line for the MS Bike Tour

What does it mean to be moved?

For me being moved means that something, an event, a person, a statement, brought me deep into my heart.  To be moved in this life is precious and for some of us a rare occurence.  I am moved all the time by the most simple things, someone performing a random act of kindness, getting a sweet email from a long-lost friend, having my dog snuggle up next to me.  Honestly, I’m a bit of a suck but I feel like that enables me to be moved in my life more often.

What does being moved feel like?

We all know what this feels like, but it’s a unique experience.  For me the start of being moved is when I feel energy funneling into my heart, like someone opened a dam and all the water starts to flow.  I also get goosebumps all over my whole body, followed by a bit of discomfort. Then of course my eyes begin to water, I try to hold back until the tears burst out when I can’t contain them any more.  The whole experience is rather uncomfortable really, but there is a definite shift in the aftermath.  It’s like you know what touches your heart the most.  For my family MS touches us instantly since we have watched our Mom struggle with it for over 10 years now.  Sometimes just the word MS, moves me to tears.

Last year when I did the ride, something incredible and scary happened to me.  I found myself alone, in the middle of nowhere, heart rate pumping, legs burning, thinking about MS and how it’s affected so many people and then out of no where I burst into the most insane cry session, moved while I was moving, touched so deeply in a place that is so uncomfortable, I would rather not go there, but yet there I was, in my heart fully moved by my experience.

The goal that what we were all collectively participating in would help find a cure for MS helped me to find the inner and outer strength to finish the ride.  It’s not easy to ride that far but having a deep reason to do it is the fuel powering each pedal stroke.  At one point I was so fired up over MS I surged ahead passing about 10 riders with my husband following behind me.  What a great experience to have made even more powerful because it was done in community.

This weekend 1.237 Million dollars was raised to fund research and help people who have MS to have a better life.  That moves me.

M