People do a lot of kind things so I can be “independent.”
My bike has a unique brake, similar to an old-school coaster brake on a kid’s bike. It allows me to pedal backwards to stop without removing my hands from the cranks. Very cool.
The drawback – I can’t reverse the cranks or roll backward without releasing the brake. Not a huge deal, except that a few days ago the release mechanism broke.
So, I can still ride, as long as I don’t end up in a spot where I need to back up.
And you know what’s coming.
I’m riding along one of our lovely trails. There’s this place where the trail splits and it’s “obvious” the main trail goes straight…until I travel a few yards and encounter the DEAD END sign.
Broken brake. Can’t back up. Stuck.
After a few minutes I flagged down a guy who asked how he could help. He recruited another fellow, and soon I was pointed in the right direction.
+ + +
Occasionally someone comments on how much I’m able to accomplish “on my own.” While I appreciate the compliment, I’m surrounded by a circle of people, especially Becky, who make my illusion of independence possible.
None of us is independent. We were created by a community for community.
I’m grateful for my community.