The Soulful Atom

So, I got a new bike last year. A proper bike with gears and the works. It has been my dream since I was in college, rather it was budding since I was in school and hormones had started coming on. I’ve been riding a moped, a 110 CC non-geared model since 12 years. But hen right before i turned 30th i had this brainwave and decided I have to get a bike before i turned 30th, and I got this one right one day before my 30th birthday! This is a 200cc, 23 bhp and all that, which is basically a big jump from the approx. 8 bph baby I had. This was my first ever time to properly be able to use a bike, navigate city traffic etc, it felt a bit daunting to do something like this at the age of 30 when you are mostly all set in your ways including the way your muscles function! But it was thrilling nonetheless. Then I realised that no matter how much I felt like revving it up and bursting full throttle I was a wee bit scared of losing it. Its easy to let thrill and adrenaline let you get carried away. But then I got wiser.
One day I was riding my new baby back home from work, the road wasn’t too crowded and I was cruising at a standard speed. Then this moped overtakes me riding zigzag full speed, for a minute I thought they would just slip and crash but thankfully they didn’t. I’m usually very easily indulge in road-rage and I ride my non-geared baby like crazy (maybe even just like those people who overtook me) however, in that moment there, I was not tempted one bit. I knew I could’ve easily overtook them in a display of domination which I used to do as a kid with a new bike. But somehow I didn’t feel the need for it. It was as if having a bike with higher power and knowing its power, was enough. I didn’t need to display it. It was for me to indulge in when I wanted to, not when I was provoked. I think the same goes with age. As you age or “gain numbers”, you do become wiser (of course if you let the experiences and knowledge seep in and make something of it). Cause for most of the things, you’ve been there done that. You will still have that old you with you, the carefree one, lesser responsibilities (read power) but you will now know what greater responsibilities do if not handled correctly. Its interesting to dabble in power and realise the responsibility it brings on your own. I wonder how is it that people get so drunk on power to ruin everything for themselves and/or others. For me, having that power is good enough, the show of power is unnecessary, unless required.