Mission Biking!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”- Albert Einstein

Hey Shri,

This post was due for publishing on 01.01.22. Yes, the first day of a brand-new year. My choice for this date was influenced by an age-old saying that whatever you do on the first day of the year, you happen to do it more often and with ease for the rest of its 364 days. I know dear that sounds cliché, but still just like you love to write in your best handwriting on the first page of all your notebooks, similarly majority of us want to begin the maiden day of a fresh year on a special note, maybe with someone special, doing something special or different. Thus, I desired to publish my maiden blogpost for the year 2022 on the first of January. But as you can check with the date on the top, we are already more than a fortnight into this year. Never mind, I can justify my late publication too. When Mumma could not complete this letter on the scheduled date, she found solace in another saying that the entire January is treated as a New Year, and you can make a new resolution or start anything special on any of its 31 days.

Last year went by quickly. Amidst the Coronavirus that continued to scare (in fact consume) humans all over the world, your online classes and homeschooling carried on. I continued with my dual role of being a Maa and Ma'am in addition to several others. In 2021, you were taken quite sick too, but you fought and came out of it stronger. In the bygone year, you became wiser, smarter, and of course taller. There were a lot of things that you learned from me, your dad, and your surroundings for which I am forever grateful. The one thing that I learned from you, or rather with you, remains the major highlight of the year gone by, and this post is all about it.

Dear Son, you motivated me enough to learn to ride a bicycle. Yes, you read it correctly. It might be a trivial achievement for the vast population on this planet (in fact for many of my readers too), but for me it was BIG. I learned how to ride a bicycle with you. A task that most of us start learning in our early childhood, was accomplished by me in my middle age. I did use to ride a tricycle when I was 2, and I did try riding a bicycle when I was probably in Class 5 or 6. I hardly have any memories of biking then, but I do vaguely remember while learning to ride my brother's red Atlas bicycle in the street, I lost control and fell in a pile of sand, and after that, I do not think that I ever rode a bicycle. Not out of fear but simply I did not, and I never actually missed riding one.

Years later, the issue of not knowing how to ride a two-wheeler was picked up not by me but by the trainer of a car driving school who firmly believed that I could not learn to drive a four-wheeler (quickly, easily, and without crashing) because I was unable to ride a bike. Guess, that was the eligibility criteria that your mom failed to meet. But Shri, I am sure you will be proud to know that I proved my instructor wrong. In fact, as a piece of information and appreciation, I am the one who taught your dad to drive a car.

Last year as you turned 5, you became ready for upgrading your vehicle. I am writing ‘you’ because we wanted to get you a bicycle when you turned 4, but you never showed any interest. Your love was so true and firm for your ‘R for Rabbit’ blue tricycle, that it was in everyone’s best interest to delay the purchase, and as I write this post, your prized position still rests all covered and secured in the cellar of our home. You are not willing to sell it off, yet.

After we ordered a bicycle for you via online mode, your dad went ahead and purchased a bicycle for me offline. This was because a couple of years ago, I had expressed my desire to ride a pink bicycle that had a basket full of flowers attached to it. The origin for this longing was the song 'Maire zindagi mai aaye ho' from the movie 'Armaan'. I was amazed that your father still remembered my wish. The first thing he told me after finalizing the purchase was 'Seema, your bicycle is not pink and has everything except a basket with flowers, but I can get it fixed locally if you still desire'. Nah! I did not wish it anymore!

So, while your bicycle was in transit, mine was parked in the drawing-room of our home, and it remained as such until yours (Hero Blast Bicycle) arrived a week later. Out of excitement, I might have got a bicycle, but every time I looked at it, I doubted if I could ever ride it and conveyed the same to you. But your perspective was so different, every time you looked at it, you admired its beauty first, and thereafter said firmly and repeatedly, 'Mumma biking is so simple and easy. You only need to practice. I am there for you, I will fix training wheels in your cycle if need be and in case you fall, I will apply cold gel-pad'. Your innocence and your dad's willingness to teach me at this age of my life were enough to motivate me. Furthermore, to develop confidence in me, your dad adjusted the bicycle seat so that my feet touched the ground as I sat.

Then came the D-day. Both our cycles were carried by your dad downstairs. I asked your Papa, how many days does it take to learn biking? He said less than an hour; just try balancing as you move, and keep the brakes handy. While you went with your Papa to learn how to ride your bicycle (fixed with training wheels) by encircling the campus area, I started my practice in the safe parking area. A shaky start led to being able to balance the bike for a short while, obviously with the intermittent application of screeching brakes and checking if any passer-by noticed my learning. After about 20 minutes, I was amazed that I could ride the bike non-stop for quite some time without using brakes. I felt as if I was gliding. I was overjoyed. The task which I felt was tough now seemed so easy. Thereafter, I started waiting anxiously for you people to return and see me ride, and Bingo! Papa saw me riding from a distance and thereafter you too spotted me. I kept riding as both you and your dad watched. I could see the twinkle in your eyes. I still remember you said to your Papa in excitement, 'Wow! Mumma toh seekh gaye…Good Mumma' and you clapped for me. Thereafter, you started riding on your bike in front of me, and I followed on mine. Mission biking accomplished!

Son, that day as we both rode our respective bikes, one of the many to-do items ticked off my bucket list. That is another story that consequently, I had a severe body ache.

As days passed by, I perfected riding a bike (~ 80%). I still need to learn to ride it with both my hands in the air and both legs off the pedals; free fall types (I don't know what else to call such a riding). Nowadays, most of our evenings are spent biking together, you religiously following me, and that 'our-time' my dear son, is precious!

There are so many things that I am looking forward to learning from you or with you. Will keep writing about them as and when I do. Until then, here's Mumma signing off with a BIG THANK YOU and a teddy bear hug filled with love, warmth, and abundant blessings for you on this and every New Year.

Forever yours,

Mumma

P.S. Shri, don’t give in to the pressure of making a new year resolution just because of your peers or because that is trending. Make one only to become a better version of your previous self. I call it version 2.0 and upwards.

P.S. Son, in the journey of life, there will be tasks that might come easy to you, but they might be tough for others. Be humble and a motivator.

There will also be times when you might not be able to do a thing with the same speed/ease as compared to others. Remember, that's OKAY! Don't give up. Be patient, ignore the naysayers, and never fear to learn.