Learning to Ride my Bike

I learned to ride a bike in the second grade. It sure was a daunting task for me to fulfill.  I was the only child in our family that had training wheels on the bike.  I had lots of balance issues due to my Cerebral Palsy. As I walked I would trip over my right foot quite frequently. 

  

 My father elevated the training wheels so I would have to learn to balance on the tires of the bike instead of relying on the training wheels. I always felt I was going to fall.  After several weeks of trying, my father took off the trainers and told me, “When I get home from work I want you to be riding that bike and there is no excuse would be accepted.  I tried valiantly to ride on the tires then relying on the trainers.

Many times in my life I have been told,  by teachers and or my own pears …..“You can’t do that.” It infuriated me at times in my life but, this time I fed into the fear of falling.  I figured that if I justified my statement to Papa that I might hurt myself.  I felt confident that he would believe me that I couldn’t learn to ride that bike.

Papa came home from work that evening. Soon after he arrived he asked me if I learned to ride the bike. I stated, “No, I didn’t because of my right foot….It won’t stay of the peddle. It slips off all the time.”  My father stated in no uncertain terms, “Do not use your handicap as a way out!! You will learn to that bike right now." 

Papa completely removed the training wheels and off we went.  After a several issues with balancing I  finally got the hang of it.  I had the most accelerating feeling. It was better than walking. I had more freedom and I was able to ride like my own peers.

 I realized at an early age that this exercise was immensely therapeutic. It helped stretched the Achilles tendon. It also made me feel like I could fly.