My accident happened 3 weeks ago tomorrow morning but it sure seems, at times, like it was 3 months ago! "Peggy Miller's life" changed a "hundred-fold" that day and oh my word, the lessons I have learned! Perhaps the most profound lesson was the one that taught me, DO NOT GIVE UP!
On the morning I wrecked the bike, I was fortunate in so many ways. #1 was that I was at the end of 10 miles and actually hit the curb in my own driveway. #2 was that my son Grahame was just coming out of the house at the very same time. That wasn't a coincidence--I see it as God's perfect timing.
I can remember most of it quite vividly, especially the part where I have to get my sorry carcass off the ground. I knew I was in some pretty heavy-duty trouble when I had to reach down and "scoop" my left arm up so I could stumble to the pickup. By the time I got to the truck, Grahame was already coming back with my keys for the trip to the ER.
Right before we backed out of our drive I glanced back to see my brand-new bike laying "helter-skelter" in the drive. For one brief moment in time, I could have cared less whether it was stolen or run over by the Stutzman Refuse truck. Didn't matter to me...but before we pulled out I told Grahame to go get it and put it on the front porch....and the rest is history.
In the 3 weeks since, I have pretty much not even considered whether or not I would truly ever be able to return to the normal bike riding activity that I've known and loved for so many years now. Oh, I've pursued a few ideas, among them setting up a trainer in the living room to finish my last 600 miles before the riding season ends. And, thanks to my dear friends LeRoy and Anne that will happen. Although I hate having to be indoors to ride (it's boring) at LEAST I will be pedaling once again. It's my "new normal" friends. And although I've been attempting to keep up my spirits--there has been one thing missing--my bike.
The day I wrecked, Grahame took the bike downstairs to the deep abyss we so fondly call our basement. There tucked away in a dark corner, my new bike has been hanging for the past 21 days. It was like I had banished that poor bike to its eternal "timeout" as if IT was the cause of my getting hurt. Yesterday, I decided it was time for it to see "sunshine" once more and I asked Grahame to bring it back up for me.
Before you get worried about my riding it tonight, rest assured that will very likely NOT happen. I just wanted to be able to see it, to touch the handlebars once again, and to remember the fun I had on it as I rode almost 1,500 miles this season. What wonderful memories I have of riding half of the BAK, of my early morning rides down the bike path, as well as riding with some of my Lincoln students last spring. Bike riding was fun-HEY, IT'S STILL GONNA BE FUN...I just have to be patient. Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know.
I don't know what the verdict will be on Friday. To be perfectly honest, I'm afraid. What if I've gone through all of this and it didn't work? Not sure how I will feel, and that's the truth. The judgement will be rendered by this time come Friday-whatever it is, may I just always remember how much I am blessed, even in ALL of this. There is NOTHING that ANY of us cannot get through-as long as we stick together, God's richest blessings in this life be yours my dear friends. Have a great night's rest and the sweetest of Dreams to all. GOOD NIGHT!
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