Life Lessons from a 4 yr old.

Went biking today. My youngest, almost five.  She tried…not a trike…but a “big girl” bike this time.

With training wheels.   

Even we ride, at times, with training wheels, sometimes…in most uncertain times.  Don’t we? 

False assurance that when we fall, rolling pieces of plastic will catch us…instead of Christ, who paid it all?

The trail? A long, straight trail.  One my daughter imagined led to Neverland.

Paved. Yet, with cliffs on both sides. Flying by bikes, and runners, and bladers.

Exciting. A daring adventure…for a first timer.   

“Keep eyes up high!”  I constantly cry.   

When eyes shift.  Heads turn.  Bikes fall.

Daughter tries. Yet, bike topples over…training wheels and all.

Not a good start.

Keep trying.  Isn’t that what we do when we fall?  Get up?  Try again?  Keep the wheels turning?  ….Not turn around and go home.  Or sit, in our self centers circles…crying.

Brave girl.  Back up there. Legs turning….in circles.  Keeps pumping.  Turning. Trying.

…The beauty and strength of the inner child.

I must have said, a hundred, no….a million times,“Keep looking straight ahead.”  And, “don’t look to the left or right.”

Head turns back at where we have been.  Bike totters, almost losing grip…again.

And yet, in life, how many times do we look back?

Want what’s in our review mirrors?

Are draw away by voices behind us, from our past?

As little legs spin around, she turns to us.  Watches us.  Follows us…Seats elevated or hands extended. She tries mimicking us.  Again, near falling.  Slowing down.

Yet, isn’t our tendency to do the same? 

Watch the acrobatics of our fellow man? 

Imitate or be intimidated by or give up trying all together because someone else is faster, more efficient, or appears to live life with no hands?

At times, our youngest looks at her feet, spinning round and round. Or her hands.  Or worries about her helmet.   

She is little and will learn, that catastrophe always comes when we center on ourselves.

The ride seemingly simple.  A continual trail. Yet, a fatal turn? A cliff beside…Straight down.  

“Don’t look down,” I would cry.  “Yes, it’s beautiful.  Appealing.  And there seems to be lots to see…But don’t look down!” 

For where our eyes turn, so turns our lives….A lesson I learn, continually. 

Strength.  Determination.  Eyes looking far ahead.  Our littlest biker paves the road, to Neverland.

At the end?

A breathtaking view over the city.  The water.  The valley. To us, a great site to see.   

But to a child…a breathtaking, awe inspiring picture of eternity!

Eight miles later.

Joy.

Reward.

A race well finished.

Not because we were the fastest, or smartest, or most skilled….but because in the race of life..we enjoyed the journey.  Our time here.  Fellowship with each other. 

We laughed, we learned, we loved, we preserved…but most of all, because we were sure, upon our reward.

With,”Eyes fixed forward”.