18 July 2014

magical moment

Today G, who is seven, learned something.  He has been practicing riding his bike this summer, and technically he could do it, but he hated it.  He was afraid of crashing (again) and so he avoided getting on the bike at all.  And truth be told, our street is not the best place to practice.  It leads to a lot of sharp turning around, or short rides with frequent stops (crashes) or a serious downhill.

But Craig was persistent, promising G that if he just kept at it, he would grow to enjoy it.  And G was persistent, promising that he could live a fulfilling life NEVER RIDING HIS BIKE. EVER.   Today, G learned that his dad was right.  We went to the school playground, which has a huge paved area, perfect for biking laps around a loop.  It took one, maybe two laps before G decided that he loved it.  Soon into our outing, some friends unexpectedly showed up, and all the boys biked together for the rest of the evening.  By the time we left, G told us his legs were wobbly from biking so much. He explained later in the kitchen as we got bedtime snack ready that it literally felt like he was still biking because his legs were rocking. Like sea legs.

One of my favorite moments of this, my favorite summer, came tonight when G looked at me and said, "Mom, it was like a magic moment. It was like I was dreaming. I felt like I was on a TV show or something." He readily and freely admits that his dad was right, and that the next time Dad says something is worth trying, G plans on trying it over and over.  Craig built up a lot of trust with this one.  Which is very, very cool.  Craig loves a few hobbies: disc golf, biking, camping, hiking.  He is so eager to share those things with our kids, and of course G being our oldest, Craig is inviting him into those things first.  I can already see my husband's mind working, dreaming of the bike trips the two of them can take as G gets older.  My heart is happy, seeing the separate but related smiles on my men-folk's faces.  They are both proud and hopeful.
This was taken two days later.  Off to ride around town.  

In a short time we are going on vacation with Craig's extended family.  Our reality just shifted from the other boy cousins zipping around the campground on bikes together, with our boy sitting it out, stubborn and lonely-- to him being in the mix, making those memories with them. I'm sure tonight was just the first of the "magic moments" he'll make biking.  And learning to trust his dad, and himself, that he can grow up to do difficult things. Okay, I'm going to stop now. But I'm enjoying this moment too. M'kay?



Sometimes in his pictures, it's like I can see a glimpse of the man he is growing to be.
*Cue the swelling orchestra music! Emotional mom moment!