The Bicycle Ride

                                        The Bicycle Ride
       One morning on a sunny, cool June day, I awoke, feeling very energetic and enthusiastic about riding my bicycle, for part of my commute to work. My normal destination is a subway station four miles from home, but my distant goal has been to ride the 10-12 miles all the way to work. (This has been my goal for the 20 years I have had my present job.) This morning I decided to go a little farther, to a station 6 miles away, and if energy and time allowed, to continue even to the next station.
       The air was clear, early morning sun lighting the greenery of the trees, colorful flowers, as the birds sang, squirrels darted to and fro and an ocassional rabbit looked up cautiously from nibbling grass. Nothing warned me that this could be the last day of my life. I took my usual route, but instead of parking at the usual station, continued, along a less-familiar route.
       As a cautious bike-rider, I choose quiet side streets to ride on. When I must ride on a busy street, I ride on sidewalks, where there are no pedestrians, or on the shoulder of the road, and pray that drivers are responsible. On this day, I had to ride for a short distance on a main road, between two quiet side streets, that I take. I was carefully riding on the shoulder of the road, and noting that the shoulder pavement was at least an inch lower than the cement of the street, and that the shoulder was coming to a not-so-gradual end. I maneuvered my bicycle to adjust to the road, as the shoulder disappeared. However, my tire got caught on the sharp, high ridge of the road pavement, and suddenly the tire veered left and my bicycle went out-of-control, circling into the middle of the right car lane, where my bicycle and I collapsed.
       Thankfully, at 7 am, there was not much traffic, on this usually very busy road. However, a very large truck was approaching in my lane, and my bicycle and I were right in its path. I saw the sudden alarm on the face of the truck driver and heard the application of the brakes. The truck was perhaps 100 or 200 feet away. But, realizing the danger, I quickly got up off the pavement and dragged my bicycle and myself to safety. As the truck passed, the driver waved several times, inquiring if I needed assistance, and I waved a "thank you – I'm OK!" Indeed, my finger had a slight scrape and my knees were slightly banged. A pedestrian walked by and expressed concern, asking if I were all right.
       Indeed, I was shaken up, more by what could have happened, than by what did happen. My bicycle was also undamaged, except that a lock-holder had fallen off. I was so thankful for God's protective hand on my life – a reminder that life is fragile and we never know what day might be our last on this earth. It is imperative to be ready and be right with God, to have forgiveness through His Son, Yeshua, Jesus.
       I was able to ride to the next station, but not the farther one, that I hoped for. However, I did ride to the farther station a week later, but cautiously. Since then, I am a very cautious bicycle-rider, avoiding busy roads.