As all business people do from time to time, I was sitting in front of my computer yesterday and wondering if I was going to have enough work in 6 weeks to sustain me.  It's something that can eat away at a person.  It's a fear that we are almost encouraged to have these days.  When we talk about it with friends or colleagues, they shake their heads and agree.  And so we think we find our fears, sadly, justified.

Until we look out into the world around us - at really what's going on.  I don't mean this is a zen way.  Let me explain.

Today I was getting ready for work, hopped on my bike, and realized that I had a flat tire.  In times past, a meltdown might have ensued - especially given the 'strees' mentioned above that I am already convinced I am 'under'.

But I kicked it in the pants.  Beautiful spring day in Atlanta.  I decided to take MARTA and started walking to the station.

When I got there, I realized I was still wearing my bike helmet.  And so I decided to stash it.  It's a game I play with myself from time to time.  What interests me is that we all walk past things in our environment that we do not see.  I have stashed money in cracks on the street only to find it there still months later.  This was not the case at first.  I would loose a lot of things. 

Eventually, I am learning the types of stashing places that are less noticed than others.  When I feel adventurous, I try to ride the line.  Today I was feeling like being safe.  I do not want to have to buy a new helmet.  I stashed it behind a plant in the MARTA Inman Park MARTA station.  If you get there before I get off work today, you might see it.

I also noticed a fellow cyclist who was taking his bike on MARTA, and struck up a conversation with him.  I asked him if he used goop in his tires.  He said he did not - and that he rarely gets flats as a commuter here.  We talked and rode the train. 

I learned that there is a new hybrid tire for bikes with a continuous center rim that allows you to have the benefits of slick tires in the city (better energy mileage) while still having the grip for if you suddenly are inspired to take the shortcut through the field or cemetery.

And then I asked him what he did. 

Turns out he works for a non-profit that works with another non-profit that I was courting for website work.  And it also turns out that they needed someone just like me to build a database and website.

Someone smarter than me (whose name I can't remember - case in point) said something to the effect that so many of us give out business cards like candy. So much money gets spent on marketing and advertising.  And the notion is that we need to get our products or services out into the wider spectrum of folks who we otherwise would not have access to. 

In reality, we might save money and resources if we just got to know the folks around us better.

Money might not grow in trees, but bicycle helmets can sometimes be found behind plants at the MARTA station.  And prosperity can sometimes be found as a result of a flat tire.