I used to think my parent’s main objective in life was for me not to have any fun or real adventures. Then I saw first-hand why they thought like that they did.
Back when I was a girl in the 70s, we didn’t have smart phones or computer games to fill our days. One of the things we had instead were our bikes. I absolutely loved riding mine. It gave me a sense of freedom and adventure that was only limited by my imagination. That being said, my mom didn’t allow me to ride on the road so I could go to other kids’ houses. That frustrated the ten-year-old me to no end. Now, there was a house on a road close to ours where there were lots of kids. Every time we’d drive by, they would be playing and riding their bikes out in the road. Let me tell you, I was so jealous of them.
Every time we drove by their house, my mom or dad would slow way down. Back in those days, there were no road signs about children playing. It was something my parents would do as a precaution. Then there this one evening we were heading down that road. My dad was driving. My mom was in the passenger seat and I was in the back. As we neared the house, my dad began to slow down. I could see all of the kids riding their bikes on the road. As usual, they shuffled over to their front yard as we neared. When we were almost to them, a boy dashed back out onto the road on his bike and spun it around. I wasn’t sure what he was trying to do, but it so didn’t work.
The next few seconds were like watching a movie scene in slow motion. Not far from the front of our car, the boy and his bike fell over onto the road. I held my breath. My mom reached over and grabbed my dad’s arm. He slammed on the brakes and I felt the car jerk to a stop. The daring bike boy popped straight up, grabbed his bike, and ran back to his front yard to join the other kids. My dad continued to drive onward. As we went by them, I turned to look at the bike boy. His eyes were wide and I could tell he was panting. While I was relieved that he was okay and nothing bad had happened, I didn’t feel sorry for him. He brought it on himself. As for my mom, she was angry that he had tried to pull such a dangerous stunt. She said he was trying to show off to the other kids when he wheeled back out in front of us.
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18 (KJV)
My mom had a good point. I can’t help but wonder if the daring bike boy thought he had a few extra seconds to show off to the other kids when he noticed my dad slowing down. Even if he was just doing it for himself, it was a prideful attempted stunt. As we just read, pride can be a very dangerous thing. Honestly, that is something we all have to deal with, but if you need help with it, I would suggest some prayer and bible time.
Over the years, I have often wondered if that boy thanked God for keeping him safe. I also wondered if he ever tried that stunt again. If he did, he didn’t do it in front of our car.
Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. Her children’s book: “Dinosaur Eggs,” is now available. It is based on Ephesians 6: The Armor of God. Her novel “Until the Moon Rises: A Conniving Cousin Mystery” is also available. Also, she has two books out in her storytelling series: “Saucy Southern Stories.” The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you