...to keep your balance you must keep moving

ONCE you learn how to ride a bike you’ll never forget. Put it down to motor memory. It’s ingrained. You simply get on the bike, you pedal and you move forward. Easy-peasy right? Wrong – I forgot.

Last year my boyfriend tried to surprise me with an afternoon bike ride on the beach. Let’s just say he was the one that was left surprised.

I haven’t been on a bike since the day I owned a pretty pink and white little racing number armed with a flower basket and a much-needed pair of training wheels.

That fateful afternoon we discovered that the old adage which suggests you never forget how to ride a bike is so not true. I wobbled all over the place, clumsy and halting while he battled to hold the back of the bike while I was on it.

We spent the next 45 minutes or so trying to trick ourselves into thinking I wasn’t as bad as I really was.

I continued to wobble about expecting too much from the two wheels while my boyfriend tried to master the courage to let me go. If you think helping your child to ride a bike for the first time is an emotional moment for a parent, try doing it as a boyfriend. I lacked the basic steering skills to avoid hazards and pavements and I could not be left unsupervised.

Later, my boyfriend’s two-year-old nephew visited the house. After watching Toy Story for the hundredth time he decided it was time to ride his bike.

Admittedly I am not the best prospect for this bold activity. When the opportunity presents itself I tend to wait for another family member to volunteer for the task so I can just tag along for the ride.

I walk along offering my encouragement and support while he pedals away. But that afternoon he refused to leave without me by his side. The two-year-old could be heard shouting my name from the front door, urging me to hurry up and just come already.

I obliged without hesitation, as would you. His little face was wide with excitement and he has the kind of smile that would make you suggest watching Woody and Buzz on repeat was your idea.

Seeing that he is just two, there was not much solo riding going on but there was a whole lot of pushing. The absolute delight made the ride worthwhile. He threw his hands up in the air, abandoning the handle bars and embraced the wind against his face like he was part of the cast for Titanic 2.

They say everything comes with practise. I don’t know whether I believe them as I doubt I will ever be great at cycling.

I do believe, however, that practise means growth. It pushes your boundaries and it strengthens your character. You don’t need to learn how to ride a bike but you do need to try.

Life is a series of learning from your mistakes. It’s how you grow in life.

It is essential that progress is made at your own pace, no matter how slow that might be. Don’t let the fear of falling or getting hurt prevent you from taking that first ride – even if it’s after a 25-year hiatus. We’re all a little rusty. We’re all a little scared. But we’re also all a little human.

Life isn’t a fairytale; it’s more like this adorable little twoyear-old making a few mistakes along the way before he finally gets it right.

Perhaps life really is like riding a bicycle and to keep your balance you must simply keep moving…