Our Dad
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle’s flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it…
Dad
By Unknown
Lessons Learned: How to Ride a Bike
My dad taught me how to ride my bike. I can remember it like it was yesterday… walking out to the park in our neighborhood, pushing my pink bicycle out to the middle of the field, listening with mixed emotions of excitment and a little fear as he explained all the fundamentals. I had to be seven or eight at the time and this was a big moment in my young life. I was leaving behind my three-wheeled perspective and embarking on what I knew would provide me with the all the freedom this little girl could muster up! It’s funny the things we learn from our fathers. Lessons collected and gathered as we ride upon the wings of the life we make our own. Some teach us how to tie our shoes. Others take us out on our first dance, twirling us around as we stand tippy-toed on their feet. Sometimes they sit and listen, unable to get a word in edgewise, as we blurt out with hurried breath all the major events of the our adolescent day. Or maybe they offer a word of advice as we make important life decisions, like what college to go to, what car to buy or what job to take. Some things we learn from our fathers came from careful observation. Watching them lead by example, family devotions and prayers on our behalf; the tender love and gentle affection they showed our mother; the he-man feats of strength they exchanged with our brother… and sometimes, we observed seasons marked by absence.
A sunny blue day heralded the occassion. I could feel the wind catch in my face, tickling my scalp under the hard plastic of my helmet. Looking back now, I can see the frustration I likely caused my father. While I knew this day would come, I didn’t feel like I was ready yet. Maybe we could push this adventure to another day, try it again when I was bigger, older and stronger. Don’t worry, I won’t let go… that’s what he promised. And true to his word, he didn’t let go. Not until he knew that I was ready. And to this day, I see that he has not let go. And I listen with mixed emotions of excitement and a little fear as he explains the fundamentals. And I watch and observe the lessons he teaches every day. My father did more than just teach me how to ride my bike. My father is teaching me how to ride.
Happy Father’s Day!
S. Danielle Benjamin