Did Della ever fall off her bike?

Yes. Lots of times. In fact, for a while there it was the only way she knew how to stop and get off. But she learned.

Fortified recently with the basic fact that his cousin struggled to learn to ride a bike, my nephew Adam was ready to give bicycling a try. My parents showed him how to coast, and they stood by to keep him from rolling into the road and to encourage him to keep trying. The Stride-Rites faithfully took the scrapes for him as he dragged his toes to keep the speed down.

For hours. For days.

Then, on Wednesday, I had the good fortune of stopping by to visit with my parents and my nephew. I got to be part of Team Go, Adam, Go! and raced alongside him on foot to provide some variety to the routine.

Eventually the little guy found the courage to put his feet on the pedals--and to pedal backwards as I wheeled him up the drive. What a kidder. So I told him to try it in the other direction, and he did. The Hunchbacked Aunt of Woodbury held the bike and walked alongside him as he cycled along.

And then--Oh, yes!--Adam did it himself. Without a word of warning, I took my hands off the bike and walked alongside him, feeling for a few moments like one of those wire cages that keep precious tomatoes from breaking their branches and landing on the ground.

The solo trip didn't last long; he didn't go far. But he did it, and I was blessed to be there. Away went the bike as I whooped and hollered. Poor Adam had enough of being stared at and feted by three adoring adults. No need to tempt fate on Wednesday; the bike would be there Thursday. And so would Grandma and Grandpa. Adam will go far.

To think I had been planning to stay in and clean things and move laundry and pull weeds and commit all manner of responsible acts. To think I was going to stay home and do the work that was waiting for me on my trusty computer. To think a thousand and one responsibilities had my name written all over them on Wednesday morning. Yet, I walked away for a few hours to be with three precious people.

Sometimes it's a blessing to be impulsive and to choose on the spur of the moment to do nothing at all with the people you love most.

Wheels turn; life moves on; I'm emnjoying the ride.

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