Here in Wilmington, NC, the Sunday after Christmas was one for the books. Sunny with a high of 75, it was hard to believe it was the end of December. Since it was such a beautiful day, my wife and I decided to help our five-year-old daughter conquer an important milestone. That’s right-Chloe was finally going to learn how to ride a bike.
Our plan? Stick with a tried and true method: Chloe sat on the bike, pedaling. I held the back of the seat, holding her steady. And her mother stood in the middle of our quiet street, giving Chloe a goal to focus on. All she had to do was make it to her mother. Easy, right? Yes and no…
While the weather was ideal, the bike riding wasn’t exactly picture-perfect. In fact, it reminded me of an old joke: “What’s the hardest part of learning to ride a bike? The pavement!”
Chloe fell a few times, which is hard for any parent to watch, but as she tried again and again, I started to notice something. Whenever Chloe thought about what she was doing – looked down at the pavement flying by beneath her, got distracted by the possibility of falling, or realized I wasn’t holding her steady – down she would go. However, when she focused on her mother a few hundred feet in front of her, she did much better. She didn’t even notice when I let go of the seat; she continued to cruise along, as if she’d been born to ride.
Watching Chloe that day, I was reminded of grown-up challenges, how every goal we set is like learning to ride a bicycle all over again. If we keep our eyes on the prize, stay focused, and don’t allow fear and doubt to enter our minds, reaching our goals is easy. If not, well, the pavement is always there, reminding us to keep trying. It’s a good thing to keep in mind, especially as we begin a brand new year.
The funny thing about goals, though, is that once you complete one, there’s always another on the horizon. It reminds me of Chloe’s neighbor friend, Justin, who learned to ride his own bike a few months ago. On that same beautiful Sunday, he was cruising around the neighborhood, having a ball, when he accidentally collided with an elderly neighbor on a Sunday stroll. He knocked her down and she was a bit shaken, but otherwise fine. After standing up and dusting herself off, she turned to Justin.
“Don’t you know how to ride a bicycle, young man?” she asked him sternly.
“Yes,” Justin said. “But I’m still learning how to ring the bell.”
Keep pedaling this weekend,
~Bob
