Not A Fan

 

Beckett is not a fan of bike riding.

He’s a fan of a lot of things, just not bike riding. In fact, he’s a fan of most things, so when he’s not, we wonder. While I’m not losing sleep over his bike gathering dust, I sure do wish it wasn’t. 

But I think I might know why. He doesn’t have a street full of kids flying by our house to catch up to. He doesn’t have an older brother that’s trying to flee him.

I kind of lament that, not the bike riding specifically, but the fact that 2020 really didn’t require him to keep up with anyone. 

I’m not saying I want him to be a follower or peer pressured or envious. What I am saying is, we don’t make progress on our own, and this past year created a lot of opportunities to be on our own. I don’t think change happens until we look around and say, “I want that, and I need to learn how.” 

This past week we read Gaia Cornwall’s fantastic book Jabari Jumps. I started reflecting on how important it is to have people around you that give you a little nudge.

Jabari is a little boy that has completed swim lessons and is ready to conquer the diving board. When his turn comes he stalls, needing to stretch, or contemplate his big move, or take a little rest from climbing halfway up the ladder. Eventually, Jabari decides that perhaps jumping off the diving board is a better task for tomorrow. 

Jabari’s dad gently says, “Sometimes if I feel a little scared, I take a deep breath and tell myself I am ready. And you know what? Sometimes it stops feeling scary and feels like a little surprise.”

Jabari follows his dad’s advice and surprises himself with an epic first jump.

I think two things are super important here. 1) I don’t think the diving board would have been appealing without other kids experiencing the thrill of hurling themselves off of a bouncing metal plank into the water. 2) I don’t think he would have jumped in without his dad’s nudge.

So, I hope 2021 brings us back together. I hope 2021 brings us opportunities that catch our eye and make us wonder if we can, too. Most of all, I hope 2021 brings us people that remind us we’re ready, we just need to take a deep breath and jump.

#jabarijumps

#storybooksbythesea