Life Lessons

Dear Beth,

On Saturday you went with Jessica and Brandon on a bike ride. However, instead of riding Todd's bike, you pushed it along and ran next to it. When you got back from your bike "ride" you asked your dad to teach you to ride it. You did not want to wait for training wheels, or even your own bike. You had places to go and you were willing to make do with what was at hand.

Your daddy helped you sit on the bike. He talked to you about balancing. If you lean too far in one direction you topple over. He showed you how to use the handlebars to steer. There are potholes in our road you will need to know how to avoid. He taught you how to use the brakes. Sometimes you have to slow down to make it around an obstacle. Sometimes you just have to stop completely and go back to where you were or find a new path.

He stood behind you and kept his hand on the seat as you tested out the things he taught you. He helped you balance. He encouraged you to give it your best shot. He promised you he wouldn't let you fall down while he was in charge of keeping you upright.


And then you started pedaling away, slowly at first. You gained momentum, and you hollered out, "Don't let go, Daddy!" and he told you he was right there with you.

Then you came to a point where you didn't need his protective hand to keep you going, even though you didn't know it yourself yet. He ran along behind you and guided you and called out encouragement, and then he did what all daddies have to do at some point. He gave you the guidance and knowledge you needed, and then... he let go and let you do it on your own. He knew you might crash. He knew you would probably hit a pot hole. He knew you might look back and get nervous, but he let you go so you could learn how to ride.

A few moments later you realized you were doing it all on your own... heading down that road using your own balancing skills and wobbling a bit here and there. You glanced back and noticed your daddy wasn't holding on, but was instead watching you carefully and cheering you on. Then you waivered a bit in your confidence, and the bike started wobbling, and your feet went down, and you thought you were crashing. That is when your dad jumped in to help slow you down, got you balanced again, and then sent you on your way.

That is, after all, that is what daddies were created to do.