What We Need

     C hit a milestone today. No more training wheels. We worked on it last weekend and I took him out again today. A soccer field with a paved sidewalk around it provided the perfect place to learn. We started on the grass and worked our way to the pavement. Daddy and I spent much time running alongside him and catching him last weekend, but today, after a few minutes, he was all on his own. I stood in the middle of the field and watched him navigate the corners, the little hills, passing of the two trees inconveniently growing in the middle of the path, cheering him along the way. He passed trash cans, fences, dogs and poles and gleefully announced he hadn’t hit any obstacles as he made his way back to the start.

     I know it’s terribly overused, but I can’t resist pointing out that bike riding is such a great metaphor for life. Fall down, get back up, get hurt, have success, fall down again, make the corner, feel proud of yourself. But even further, it so represents this child’s life. We gave him the skills, waited until he was ready, and sent him on his way. I watched from the sidelines as he fearfully, and later masterfully, made his way around the sidewalk. I cheered, a bit wistfully, as he conquered a task we’ve been working toward for years. I can only imagine how many more times we’ll do that in his life. Sometimes he’ll be successful, sometimes he won’t. Today he was.