The Obstacle of Fear



Monday afternoon William and I were driving in from football practice and found this sweet girl coming out of the lake path in our neighborhood.  Stylin' and profilin' right?  I should also mention the dog was running down the road towards the van as well.  Yep.  No parental guidance at the Horne house that afternoon!  Hahaha...(Billy was home mowing the lawn.)  I got so tickled seeing her out riding her bike that I had to snap a shot of it.  You see, the short story is that the kids got bike's as an end of the school year gift a long time ago.  Only they never rode them.  Ever.  So in the yard sale a few weeks back I pulled them out and put price tags on the practically brand new bikes.  Her's sold right away for $25.  Mailey and Julie came out to see what was going on during the yard sale and decided to try riding William's old bike.  She came back and said, "Mom, there's a great hill in our neighborhood for riding your bike down.  Can I get a bike?"  Me, "Why yes Mailey, I know that hill well.  It's not so fun running up or down.  And you can have a bike, sure.  That one!"  There was no hesitation, we ripped off the price tag and off she rode.  And has been riding everyday since.  I love it.  She says to me, "Mom, I'm going to ride."  She straps on her purse, and usually the boots like below and off she goes.  Usually around the lake and not for long.  Just enough to get the wind and air behind her back.  It brings her joy, like running around that same lake brings me.

 

Do you remember those days as a kid?  Boy I sure do.    My sister and I would ride our bikes all over Homewood, especially to the park.  I don't remember my Mother's presence in any of the memories, nor her ever seeming concerned or worried about our riding our bikes all over town until dusk.  It was a simpler life back then, yes.  But I wonder if we'd just let go of some of the fear, all of us, let go of a little fear that the world would become a little safer.  Like a pay it forward movement.  If you see my child riding you think, hey I should let my child ride too.  I think fear has grabbed our children's generation and stolen some of the simple joy we as children were allowed. 

Fear has become the norm.   I was slapped across the face with it the other day when I asked my 13 year old son if he wanted to run the Oakhurst 5K race May 4th with me.  His immediate response?  No way Mom, I don't want to get blown up.  I was struck so hard by his comment.  And now the fact that I am running it I know he has fear for me being in it.  Make sense?  It's a cycle we've started.  A cycle that honestly is very hard to break.

And then on instagram my friend Sara posted this:

This appeared the day William said he didn't want to run with me.  The day we found Mailey riding her bike with sheer joy and absolutely no worries in the world.  You see, she was exhibiting courage.  I love the quote above.....courage is just fear that has said its prayers.  So instead of living in fear, I intend to live in courage.  Won't you join me?