Moving Together

For a few years now my father and a group of his close friends have been venturing out on mile-long bike rides through the Cambridge countryside.

Most Sunday mornings this troupe of kind, compassionate Lycra-clad fathers and husbands venture out together, whatever the weather. I was once lucky enough to be invited to join what has become a bit of a ritual. To my delight I discovered not only some beautiful landscapes through quiet sleepy villages but also a variety of approaches to life in these men, to the journey and to that shared road we all meet with every day. Mostly, I recognised that this practice of cycling together was so much more than a method of keeping fit. It had become a fundamental and enriching source of connection, friendship, playfulness, empathy and solidarity. During these cycle routes, these men discuss their gains and losses, share in their challenges, their families, relationships, work, their hopes and dreams. Group exercise can have the power to relieve and shift the focus off your world as you bond both physically and emotionally - you also resonate and share your time and thoughts with others. In this circle I witnessed and engaged in a freedom, in laughter, in strength and most importantly, in deep bonds of friendship and love. Most of these men have watched each other and their families grow over the years. These kinds of rituals and commitments are instrumental in building a healthy and prosperous life, as we chart each chapter and mark each moment. It is important to create or engage in similar group activities within our lives - be it horse-riding, hiking, dancing, team sports, rowing or swimming. The focus is often placed on the distance and the achievement but the reward is so much greater. Whilst your body builds and engages in greater fitness and health, your heart and soul receives something much better. You receive an enormous sense of comradery, a lasting community and companionship as you navigate and steer through the ebbs and flows of your life, side by side, moving together.