1306 + 2350 = Love (Or at least a LOT of LIKE)!

People do a lot of thins out of love - we marry, we move, we have children, we throw away everything we've ever known, we even refuse to by another bicycle because we know that it was cause strife with the one we love (and no, I'm not talking about the other bikes!).

In fact, Huey Lewis (and the News) may have summed it up nicely when he sang this little ditty;

	Huey Lewis & the News - The Power of Love .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Of course, this view was the exact antithesis of the views espoused by the J. Geils Band;

an idea that was further expressed in their song "Centerfold";



I guess the idea being what's the point of falling in love if the person is just going to spurn your attentions and become an adult entertainer?

And then there's always Love Potion Number 9;

	The Searchers - Love Potion Number Nine .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Of if you prefer you can create your own love potion;



But how do you measure it once you have it (by whatever means)?  Can it be quantified and correlated like a product?  Can it be stockpiled and catalogued?  How do you know how much love you have?;



Of course, the Ancient Greeks believed there were three types of love - Eros (erotic), Philos (brotherly), Agape (unconditional).  In essence, eros love is "physical", philos love is "mental", and agape love is "spiritual". Thus, it is made up of the three fundamental elements of man: physical, mental and spiritual.


And the one that drives us to do things for others is "Agape", the unconditional, spiritual (sometimes called God's) love.  We don't ask for anything in return, we do it becuase its the right thing to do.

In the last month I have seen so many people pour out Agape (not to be confused with Agrape which is a place for wine connoisseurs) upon Connor's Army.  Becuase of my students and friends we have grown from 800 likes on our facebook page to 1306 as of this writing - and they keep liking us.  This is amazing because we really need the support.  It is our biggest hope that someone will come forth and offer to sponsor us so that we know we'll have enough money to complete the coast to coast journey.  In all honesty, I'm just a high school teacher and although I teach in Syosset, NY I don't make all that much money.  If I did, I would be able to afford to just give the money to Sunrise Day Camp myself.  But, alas, I don't so I ride.

And that brings me to the other form of the equation - 2350 miles is what I've ridden this year to prepare me for my cross country ride.  I'm now trying to commute almost every day to school - even when it dips below 30 degrees!  I figure there will be some times when I'm in the mountains of Colorado that it will be incredibly chilly at the top and I can't quit then.  I have to start getting used to the idea of riding every single day since I'll have to train myself to get up and ride now matter how I feel.

And why do I do this?  Becuase its the right thing to do.  I'm not after fame or accolades for this.  If there was a way that I could get the money for the camp without having to promote myself and what I'm doing I would surely do it.  But for right now I have to keep pushing Connor's Army, keep facebook posting and keep relying on my friends to invite their friends and to get as many involved.  Hopefully somewhere someone else will be touched by the spirit of Agape and offer to help sponsor us in this.  Or perhaps someone's spirit will be moved to make a very large donation to Sunrise in honor of the Connor's Army Ride Across America.  In the words of the New York Lottery Guy (and the California based rap group the Hieroglyphics)  - "Hey, You Never Know";



But the most driving reason of all to do this is I am grateful to so many people for the lives of my sisters and my mother - because of the kindness of people we will never ever meet they are here today and cancer free.  Its only right that I do what I can to give back to the cancer community and especially to our future - the children.  They are our future and if I can do at least one thing to help these kids who have been fighting so hard to have some kind of happy childhood, then riding 3600 miles to raise the money for them to have that experience is the least I can do.

I leave you with something that someone forwarded to me as "One of the Greatest posts on Youtube so far!".  It is the words of Charlie Chaplin from his movie The Great Dictator juxtaposed with modern imagery to make a compelling argument for us to do the right thing - to think of others;



So go out my friends, use your love potion number 9 and spread your Agape wherever you go.  And if you can turn some of it towards Connor's Army to help us in our mission, I would be forever in your debt.

Stay well and I'll see you on the road!