Heading out for a ride with a friend the other day, we stopped at the outhouse - the prerequisite last pee. While waiting for her, a fellow shows up and we make small talk while I wait for my friend and he waits for the outhouse.
We talk about what trails we're riding, and the trail conditions. The guy has the biggest smile ever and only one arm. My friend is done and we start up the trail, waving to smiley guy. Of course smiley guy passes us on the climb up to the trail head a few minutes later.
When he passes, I notice his bike only has half a handle bar. Well I guess if he's not using the other half, why not saw it off. We head down the same trail, and then about an hour or so later, we're nearing the end of the trail and we see him again riding back up the trail. Smiley guy is riding clipped it. Yes! One arm and clipped in.
Again we stopped to chat and he said he was working on riding up a certain trail. We talked about how steep the trail was and how he'd come back to keep working on his project. The group consensus was definitely that not getting all the way up was far from failure - being out on bikes on a beautiful winter day was winning already.
What's the difference between Smiley guy who doesn't see having one arm as an obstacle to being a mountain biker, and others who struggle under the pressures of life's challenges. Why can some of us soar over the hurdles in our lives, and some of us get beaten down by the harsh realities?
I don't believe it's just a simple decision to overcome. Or is it? How much courage and determination does it take to fly?
Mr. Smiley, whoever you are, I have one word for you: Respect.
We talk about what trails we're riding, and the trail conditions. The guy has the biggest smile ever and only one arm. My friend is done and we start up the trail, waving to smiley guy. Of course smiley guy passes us on the climb up to the trail head a few minutes later.
When he passes, I notice his bike only has half a handle bar. Well I guess if he's not using the other half, why not saw it off. We head down the same trail, and then about an hour or so later, we're nearing the end of the trail and we see him again riding back up the trail. Smiley guy is riding clipped it. Yes! One arm and clipped in.
Again we stopped to chat and he said he was working on riding up a certain trail. We talked about how steep the trail was and how he'd come back to keep working on his project. The group consensus was definitely that not getting all the way up was far from failure - being out on bikes on a beautiful winter day was winning already.
What's the difference between Smiley guy who doesn't see having one arm as an obstacle to being a mountain biker, and others who struggle under the pressures of life's challenges. Why can some of us soar over the hurdles in our lives, and some of us get beaten down by the harsh realities?
I don't believe it's just a simple decision to overcome. Or is it? How much courage and determination does it take to fly?
Mr. Smiley, whoever you are, I have one word for you: Respect.
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