Tiny Glow

Riding my bicycle to work this morning, I pedaled furiously through a green light (it’s one of those that only lasts a split-second) and realized that I’ve been doing this bike-to-work thing for almost a month now. This is a twice-a-week thing for me, balanced out by elliptical workouts on three other days and two rest days. But it has become part of my routine.

Coasting down the hill after I passed the stoplight, I randomly started thinking about montages in movies like Rocky or The Karate Kid. Weeks and even months go by in the blink of an eye accompanied by some rah-rah motivational music. But it takes a lot of workouts to make a montage! Each frame flickers to another early-morning jog, or sweaty punching-bag session, or afternoon spent under the tutelage of Mr. Miyagi (wax on, wax off). It goes by so quickly on-screen, but these are daily choices repeated with faithful consistency right up until the final scene, when the hero bursts triumphantly into the ring, in the peak of physical condition, ready to take on anything.

I am making a montage, and I know it is going to take a while. But you have to start somewhere, and I think I have a few seconds of good footage accrued. Eventually, it will take up a full three minutes on the screen of my memory. Now I just need to find my soundtrack.