I'm doing something which I had wanted to do all my life - learning cycling! Very few people know that I was suffering from a major two-wheeler phobia. The very thought of two wheels balancing all by themselves was kind of suspiciously scary. Like all kids I also had a tri-cycle but I don't remember being crazy about my cycle like most kids are. When my friends started learning cycling, I thought I too should. And, my dad was more than willing to teach but I was a pathetic learner and the lessons ended very fast! On that same cycle my brother learnt cycling, without anyone training him at all. I forgot about all that pretty fast as there were more interesting things in life to explore.
I thought about cycling again when my mother learnt to ride a two-wheeler!! And she started going for work on that! Incredible, indeed! But... that also left me with some strange inferiority complex! (I can imagine my mom staring at me, mouth agape, trying to comprehend what I meant... dad, walking away with that subtle smile of his... brother, laughing out aloud... and husband, giving me one of those exasperate looks which can mean a million things that I do not want to describe here now). Anyways, by then it was too late. There was no cycle available, and even if I could get hold of a cycle, no trainer! Dad, will not try again. Brother, would be skeptical. Besides, I was away from home. And, husband, wouldn't even bother! Mom, I know would be extremely encouraging but she can't be a trainer!
I've been here in this vast beautiful campus for more than a year now and I always knew that it was now or never. Mom used to remind me once in a while but I couldn't really bring myself up to ask anyone 'Hey, wanna teach me ride'? Sounded silly... till a close friend started learning! I could feel the adrenalin rush but didn't dare to make the move... till another close friend, who happens to be my coach now, gallantly offered to train me!
Came across this quote and found it perfect for this post:
Consider a man riding a bicycle. Whoever he is, we can say three things about him. We know he got on the bicycle and started to move. We know that at some point he will stop and get off. Most important of all, we know that if at any point between the beginning and the end of his journey he stops moving and does not get off the bicycle he will fall off it. That is a metaphor for the journey through life of any living thing, and I think of any society of living things.
~William Golding
I'm now beginning to see cycles, cyclists, cycling with a new found respect! And, I'm discovering another side of my own self - which may nor may not be worth unveiling, only time can say.
I thought about cycling again when my mother learnt to ride a two-wheeler!! And she started going for work on that! Incredible, indeed! But... that also left me with some strange inferiority complex! (I can imagine my mom staring at me, mouth agape, trying to comprehend what I meant... dad, walking away with that subtle smile of his... brother, laughing out aloud... and husband, giving me one of those exasperate looks which can mean a million things that I do not want to describe here now). Anyways, by then it was too late. There was no cycle available, and even if I could get hold of a cycle, no trainer! Dad, will not try again. Brother, would be skeptical. Besides, I was away from home. And, husband, wouldn't even bother! Mom, I know would be extremely encouraging but she can't be a trainer!
I've been here in this vast beautiful campus for more than a year now and I always knew that it was now or never. Mom used to remind me once in a while but I couldn't really bring myself up to ask anyone 'Hey, wanna teach me ride'? Sounded silly... till a close friend started learning! I could feel the adrenalin rush but didn't dare to make the move... till another close friend, who happens to be my coach now, gallantly offered to train me!
Came across this quote and found it perfect for this post:
Consider a man riding a bicycle. Whoever he is, we can say three things about him. We know he got on the bicycle and started to move. We know that at some point he will stop and get off. Most important of all, we know that if at any point between the beginning and the end of his journey he stops moving and does not get off the bicycle he will fall off it. That is a metaphor for the journey through life of any living thing, and I think of any society of living things.
~William Golding
I'm now beginning to see cycles, cyclists, cycling with a new found respect! And, I'm discovering another side of my own self - which may nor may not be worth unveiling, only time can say.
[To be continued...]
Virtually (and cyclingly) yours
2 comments:
waughhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
your writing is simply awesome
Hats offffffffff to youuuuuuuu :)
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