Learning to Ride a Bicycle

I don’t know why this memory came to mind, maybe because some skills are harder to learn or get to grips with than others, or could it be that some parts of the past couple of months have been difficult and tricky to navigate, I guess in a sense like learning to ride a bicycle.

Learning to ride my brand spanking new Raleigh bicycle was a bit of a struggle.

I was always one of those skinny, and clumsy kids –  all legs and arms…very uncoordinated and clumsy, always managing  to trip over my own feet, even worse, trip over the one and only stone on the pavement or in the road!

Actually learning to ride that spanking new bicycle proved  to be a bit of a challenge, and a huge source of frustration.  In my wildly imaginative childish mind I was going to be able to mount my new bike and ride off, visiting friends – even better, just imagining that I was riding my trusted steed, as there were battles to be won and somehow I had to save the world.

My ever patient father used to take me out onto the pavement, holding the saddle he would push my bicycle all the while encouraging me to peddle forward: “forward, Gail not backward!”.

Try as I might I could not get the “hang” of this peddling malarkey!

Ah success at last (or so I thought)!

 Just as I was getting the hang of peddling, balancing and focussing,  I lost concentration, started wobbling and fell into a fresh cow’s pat – splat!  I was furious, my father, while trying to clean me up -could not contain himself and started laughing.   My fury turned to outrage grabbing my trusted steed I stalked off home, after all my pride had taken a serious knock and how dare he laugh!!!

I was determined to learn to ride that bike – and I was equally determined that my father was not going to teach me!  We had a bit of a standoff (at least I did with him).  

I devised a plan, I positioned the bike to lean up against the side wall of the church, very carefully mounting it, and ever so slowly….. steady the wobbling and overcoming  fear   –  very hesitantly I peddled away!  Ha! Success I managed to retain my balance and my dignity.  

Wow! Freedom at last, my mighty steed and I were off, on the lookout for the most magnificent adventures. 

Even if it meant that at times, I underestimated the depth of the pavement and at the same time overestimated my ability to stay on my bike, finding myself airborne I managed to skin my knees and elbows and at the same time coming to grips with the most painful injury of all – my bruised and battered ego.

Somehow learning to ride a bike can be equated with trying to navigate “life”.

Some days are just blissful, there are no pitfalls, or stones to avoid or even potholes.  We ride along in perfect sync with the world and those around us.

Other days are difficult, we underestimate the depth of the pavement and we fall off we feel sorry for ourselves even a little downhearted and dispirited. We underplay our own ability to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off whilst taking a deep breath…..slowly in and just letting go – just exhaling slowly

I guess life is very much like perfecting our coordination in being able to steady ourselves whilst balancing on two wheels, navigating the road ahead whilst steering straight, can be stressful and just downright difficult at times.

Or maybe as my darling Pappa quipped:  “you have known all along how to ride your bike – sometimes you are just a little bit scared and lack confidence or maybe even a bit fearful to take a chance!” has stayed with me and has served as a life lesson in that we are all going to fall into a messy cow pat from time to time, feel sad or even a touch overwhelmed. 

Hey – just take a chance, do things, wobble along, be scared. We don’t have to pretend to be big and brave. The thing is we just have to try as best you can on some days –and on others…well,  just  mount your trusted steed and ride with the wind, all the while slaying those dragons!