ACTUALLY, I DID FORGET…

ACTUALLY, I DID FORGET…

people say that riding a bike is one of those things you never forget how to do. well, either i’m exceptionally forgetful, or the saying is wrong!

this past saturday, i went bike riding for the first time in probably over 13 years and yep, i had to learn how to do it again. i don’t really know what i was expecting the experience to be like when my friend suggested that we go bike riding to prep me for my life overseas but i can truly say that it was not the most pleasant of experiences. it was actually quite uncomfortable, humbling and patience-testing. there were a few moments at the beginning when i had to decide to keep trying and really push myself to conquer the task. happily, i fell just once. haha… so i only acquired a sore bum and a very big bruise on my leg. :p

i think this experience taught me a couple things about learning. 1. learning anything new requires determination and effort. but don’t give up because it’s not impossible. and 2. having a patient friend to ride alongside, encourage and guide you makes the learning process much more bearable.

i guess these are lessons i should keep in mind as i tackle a new language and culture next year. ;)

one last thing: author and speaker John Maxwell believes that a person must keep growing daily. one of the questions he uses to help determine growth is, “when was the last time you did something for the first time?” i think for me, even though it wasn’t technically for the first time, learning to ride the bike again was indeed a moment of growth. and one i’m quite happy to have gone through. :)