I have this recurring dream. I am riding my bike down some back road with friends. We are pedaling over and around the rolling hills near where I live. And I soon realize they are all outpacing me, and I watch helplessly as the gap between us widens. My legs are pumping frantically. The pedals are spinning around in a blur. Still, I am slipping farther and farther behind.

I look down and notice the chain ring I am turning is only the size of a silver dollar. The frustration builds, and angrily I pedal even harder. But I never catch the other riders. I am left alone with only my tired legs and resentment.

The dream is a reminder that what I most often need is not to speed up but to slow down, pedal at my own pace, and feel the teeth bear against the chain. Unhurried but steady; gradual but consistent. It has carried me this far.