Emergents Weblog

Most of us can remember our first bicycle. Not the tike-bike with the red seat that we would race around the house, No this memory is the two wheeler – after the training wheels were taken off.

That must have been the first time in my my life that I felt the rush of adrenaline. Fear, excitement, pride, doubt – all swirled together as my mother placed me down on the seat. Arrogantly I listened only half-way as she explained to me how to stop and how to fall. I should have listened more closely. It would take me time and again to learn how best to fall off my bike – choosing to fall into a bush rather than onto the pavement, having the calm of mind to slow down a bit first rather than race into the stationary obstacle head long at full speed. Some things that would seem natural and obvious get forgotten in the moment where panic overwhelms our senses, our knowledge and reality.

1 John 1:8-9 reminds us that there is a way to recover when we fail, when we fall. It begins with the remembrance that Jesus has already paid the price for our sins.There is no reason to flog ourselves, no reason to allow ourselves or others judge us or condemn us.

Learning to fall is all about being present in the moment and having the presence of mind to keep perspective of what is around us, and all that has happened before.

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I remember too my first new bike I was five. I swung my leg over my yellow Schwinn bike with racing handlebars, a black seat and coaster brakes. Oh I was so proud to be the owner of that bike. Most of of my siblings had hand me downs and I was sure that, since I had several older brothers and sisters, I would receive one too. But my parents surprised me with a new bike…. But that a story for another day!