It's Like Riding a Bike

When I was 5 or 6 years old I got my first bike. I was at my Grandpa Townsend's house to celebrate my birthday. My Aunt Kelly and my dad rolled the bike into the living room. It was pink and white with rainbow butterflies, streamers, and training wheels. I remember being so excited until it was time to ride it. We took it outside and I sat down. Moments after starting to pedal the bike through the gravel, I toppled over. I didn't want anything to do with the bike after that.

I got over it. I learned to ride without training wheels, but my dad still reminds me about that first bike birthday.

I haven't had a lot of experience with bikes since those younger years. Jake loves mountain biking and road biking. Just in passing I mentioned to him that we should start looking for a bike for me to ride. We could go on bike rides around town in the evenings together. Jake has been so excited to find me a bike.

We can learn a lot about our lives from our bikes. Bikes remind us that in order to stay upright, we have to keep pedaling. Jake and I learned a few things from ours this week.

I came home yesterday to find a very guilty looking Jake. He had gone to the bike shop excited to look at bikes for me, and left with one very much outside our price range. I was a little surprised, but how could I be mad or frustrated with my handsome husband with the best intentions? After talking about it, we decided he'd take it back today. I came home for lunch to see that same guilty husband. I asked him how returning the bike went. He rushed into a story he didn't want to tell me, and I could tell he was sorry. He told me the guy at the bike shop could only give him a partial refund. He refunded part of our money and left Jake with an in-store credit. My Sweetheart was just heartbroken. He knew he'd spent a little too much money than we had in the budget, and now he was trapped into spending it even after returning the bike.

I laughed. I told him not to worry, and then I gave him a kiss. 

He went to the bike shop and came home with the only one in our in-store credit price range. It's bright blue and green. It's new but the frame is a little beat up, and the spokes are dusty from being on the shelf so long. The stickers are peeling off, and I wouldn't change a thing.

I love my bike. I love my husband. And if any of you are wondering, I'm the happiest I have ever been.