The title of this post is a quote from Author Unknown–at least as far I know. Why write a blog post about revenge on a site that celebrates all things cycling? Here’s why: the verbal war in the last 48 hours between cyclists and sports radio talk show host can’t be resolved through revenge. When Lance Armstrong called ESPN 980 Radio host Tony Kornheiser an “f-ing idiot” and a “douchebag” yesterday on Twitter over Kornheiser’s ridiculous on-air comments, I’m convinced that cyclists’ anger across the U.S. was validated. Mine was. For a day. I love that opinions can be shared instantly online. The exchange provides greater insight into how the world functions and how we view injustice (not always, but it’s definitely better than the old 24-hour news cycle through filters of big media.)
OK, so the deal: We’ve all had “moments” in which someone behind the wheel of a motorized vehicle made us feel small. Insignificant. Powerless. Vulnerable. Dare we say, hated. It’s awful. Serves no purpose for humankind. Being injured or killed on a bike is a real and present danger. I ended up undergoing a four-hour emergency surgery to put back together parts of my mug and chompers after a run-in with a hit-and-run motorist 2 years ago nearly to the day. I carried a lot of anger inside immediately afterward. I wanted something. To heal. To vent. To maybe find revenge? But over time, wounds healed, memories began to subside and I realized that revenge wasn’t so much about “making things right” but simply making someone feel a hint of pain and accountability for what they did. I know today that if I met the person who left me on the side of the road, I wouldn’t really want revenge. No, success is the best revenge. It’s why I continue to ride. Farther than ever before. And more at peace than I ever believed possible. I’m not a hippie. Or granola-crunching beatnik. Just a husband, father, uncle, son and cyclist.
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Right on. Venting is part of the human condition, isn’t it?
Everyone wants to strike out when they’ve been wronged, but I find that getting past it and not letting the injustice of the situation bring you down is uplifting.