i want to ride it where i like
September 15, 2009 | Filed Under extraordinary, familial
my oldest child rides a bike now. he rides it and wobbles a bit in the middle, a bit for the launch. he is free and flushed, his teeth and red lips in a smile as wide as the street. early this morning he is upset that i am not willing to stand in the grass at the road with my hair in knots and my coffee yet to perk and steam, standing there so i can call out for cars and flash my very best reassuring smile his direction when he needs to see it. late this afternoon he is flying by and his heart, his little heart, his brave and strong heart is pounding and i can almost hear it singing, singing for the wind of the bicycle, the glory of feeling a little bit of fear in the midst of his exultations. the muscles in his legs never tire, the stinging in his eyes from the air doesn’t matter. the wheels flash glitter in the sun. his hair blows back on his head. he should be wearing a helmet, i think. and i remember my own head, free, the hair whipping out in long strands behind me. the helmet is safer, yes, as sticky and hot as it is. but just this once, just this one day under trees turning yellow, this one time he can feel like he’s boundless and magnificent and the only boy on a bike in the beautiful world.
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beautiful! oh my…yes. beautiful. the problem we have with living ON the side of a mtn is lack of good bike riding and rollerskating. my girl has learned to ride a big wheel down the STEEP drive at full speed and in constant danger! NO helmets here either and the better for it i say – let em’ learn to fall well just keep a good stock of band-aids and ice!
isn’t it great!
what is it about that first kid riding that first bike for the first time that makes you feel like you’ve succeeded as a parent?
like maybe somehow you’ve empowered him with his first tiny bit of freedom…
yes, mountaingoat! i like this. i feel like the knee pads and such and the heavy helmet totally defeat the purpose of the freedom of the bike. he does like the helmet, tho. i think he thinks he’s on a motorcycle.
and yes, troy. i did feel weirdly successful. i feel the same way when henry is counting change. there are only a few things in life you really *must* know and these are two of them.