Gainin' Confidence

Gainin' Confidence

Accomplishin' something new gives you confidence. I remember when I got my bike. I must have been 8 or 10 years old. It was a surprise! I was so excited! Daddy bought a bike I could grow into. It was a blue and white Western Flyer.

When I was sittin’ on the seat, my feet wouldn’t touch the ground. I pushed the bike up to the front stoop so I could stand on the stoop to get on it. At first Daddy helped me get on it and walked beside me tellin’ me everythin’ I needed to do.

As I learned to peddle the bike, he would hold onto the handlebar with his left hand, and hold my seat with his right hand. We went ‘round and ‘round in our front yard weavin’ in and out among the trees.

After a few days, Daddy let go and I was ridin’ the bike by myself. Even though I fell off a few times until I got the hang of how to balance peddlin’ and guidin’ the bike, I was determined to keep tryin’.

After learnin’ how to stay on the bike without fallin’ every few feet, I went faster and faster ‘til I felt like I was flyin’. Learnin’ how to ride a bike gave my confidence a real shot in the arm.