A Biker’s Guide to Truth, Beauty & Kindness

Pedaling the Cape Cod Rail Trail a couple of afternoons this summer, I realized that a simple bike ride is a metaphor for everyday challenges and gifts.

Biking helps us find our way, process change and build confidence. Photo by Andriyko Podilnyk on Unsplash.

Remember when you learned to ride a bike — to balance, pedal, brake, steer? To coast with no hands?

About 20 years ago, our daughter Figgy hopped on her new birthday gift, holding tight to the glittery handlebar grips, pink streamers flying, rumpled red hair sticking out from under a yellow bumblebee helmet. With glee, she raced down a sloping driveway. We watched her fall and heard her wail, running toward her, toward her lesson in crushed trust.

As beautiful and freeing as it is, a bike is the sum of hard metal parts: spokes, chain, springs. It can test a child’s courage and footloose joy.

Fig soon learned to balance without the training wheels she had outgrown. She followed her instincts and achieved capability and efficiency. As an adult, she pedaled to and from work.

Biking teaches us the secrets of the universe. A glossary:

Coast: What we do when life — and the road— is smooth and carefree. I coast on the Cape Cod bike path heading back toward Wellfleet on…