Never in 1 million years did I imagine that I’d thank the awful coronavirus for something profoundly good, but here I am...
Many of you know the story of how I went from star athlete to paralyzed athlete to writer.
I wrote about it all here, if you’re curious:
I wrote about it all here, if you’re curious:
Well, one of the things I’ve suffered since all that was a decreased sense of proprioception in my legs.
There are times where I don’t know where my legs are unless I can see them. Sometimes they even feel like they disappear. Yeah, it’s pretty weird.
There are times where I don’t know where my legs are unless I can see them. Sometimes they even feel like they disappear. Yeah, it’s pretty weird.
For this reason, I haven’t ridden a bike since I was 20 (before it all happened). Also, I’m afraid of what a fall could do to my strange cyborg body (I’ve got a stainless steel rod lashed to my spine). I used to bike ride all the time.
So...last week I somehow injured my ankle on my treadmill (no idea how) and now I can’t jog for a few days. Been miserable and angry. I need high impact exercise to stay sane through all this.
Today, I decided it was time.
Today, I decided it was time.
My daughter is a huge bike rider. We went to the empty parking lot of my local church.
What happened next was crazy because the roles were reversed. This time, I wasn’t the one teaching my child to ride; *she* was teaching *me*.
What happened next was crazy because the roles were reversed. This time, I wasn’t the one teaching my child to ride; *she* was teaching *me*.
...and for the second time in my life I experienced that moment where one minute you’re afraid and the next you take the leap of faith to ride the bike.
Oh and as I was doing this there was a Canadian goose on top of the church bearing witness.
Oh and as I was doing this there was a Canadian goose on top of the church bearing witness.
