The Bumpy Ride.
A young man rode by on his bicycle, which was quite an ordinary scene. What caught my attention however was the little boy tucked comfortably in between the bike rider and the bike's steer. Instead of allowing fear to make him uncomfortable because the road was quite bumpy, the little boy held on to the steer in confidence, trusting that his companion will take him safely to his destination without any interruption.
Still being in the classroom of life, I learnt quite a few things from that brief moment, including trust, hope and the bumpy ride we constantly face, called life.
In these times, it is quite difficult to trust anyone, since taking that risk could lead to betrayal, heartache and even deceit. Somehow, seeing that little boy brought some questions to me that I would also like to ask you :
How far are we willing to go in our trust for others?
Just how much can others trust us?
I am not referring to the kind of trust where we virtually 'place our whole hearts in the hands of another person', but rather the kind of trust that enables us not to take every burden unto ourselves, but also to share with a privileged few. It could be the burden of responsibility, worry or of any kind. A decision to bear every responsibility on our shoulders without seeing the good in others enough to delegate a few things to them, is in effect a decision to wear ourselves out in the shortest possible time.
No matter how cold the world may become, there are always people around us who are willing to help, even if it is just one person. It is up to us to identify them and make the most of our time with them.
We need to also be the kind of people others could depend on even when they are on the verge of giving up or seem to have run out of options.
How broad enough is your shoulder for someone else to lean on?
Life has a way of teaching us that in spite of the bumpy ride, there is a ray of sunshine called hope.
The journey to our pinnacle of greatness will not always be a smooth one, but there is potential beauty in every situation as well as an opportunity to be refined and to grow stronger. No doubt, as the little boy's bike ride got more bumpy, he clutched the steer harder and leaned closer to his companion.
Whatever 'bumps' we encounter along the way are just a reminder to hold on tightly to our hope and to our desire to be the best we can be. We at times need to be pushed harder to realise just how much we need to hold on and not give up. It is also an opportunity to lean even closer to those we are privileged to have in our lives, as well as to God.
In sharing this bike ride with the little boy, there was no doubt an opportunity to create another memory, for both the bike rider and the little boy. Most probably, there was no other transportation alternative, but in our limitations, there is not only an opportunity to grow in the character of contentment, but also to build great memories with the little we have. There are many opportunities to create memories with not just our families, friends and loved ones, but also even those we may not have a personal relationship with, by reaching out to them through a visit, constant encouragement or an act of kindness.
Whether it is a bicycle or any other form of transport, the ride may not always be smooth (literally and figuratively), but it will eventually lead to a great destination.
I would like to leave you with a gift right after Fathers' Day. His Name is Jesus, and He promises to be with you during the bumpy ride, every step of the way.
Do not forget to show appreciation to whoever has put effort into your life, and who has decided to stick with you throughout the bumpy ride!
