Early this morning my girls and I headed to the nearby park. It was clear and cool. Just the right temperature for an invigorating walk. As we rounded a curve on the trail, my oldest daughter spoke.

“Remember when I fell off my bike?” She pointed to the place where the trail curved sharply to the left.

“What happened?” Jenny wanted to know. It was years before we had adopted her into our family.

“Oh I was going too fast.”

My mind traveled back to that Sunday more than thirteen years ago. Noelle was about six at the time.  Just learning to ride her bike. Training wheels off. Black curly hair flying in the breeze.

We had decided on the spur of the moment to go to the park for a short ride before she went to church to be an crocodile in the children’s musical at church.

I was walking quickly behind her trying to keep up. Her confidence was high. Her joy of learning to ride over the top.

Just as she neared the curve, I saw her head wearing the pink helmet look back at me.

My heart stopped.

That was all it took.

The bike wobbled. She panicked and down she crashed bike and all.

In seconds I was at her side, scooping her up into my arms. A young boy appeared and offered to help. We often speak of him as her angel.

“Please take her bike to your white car. Over there..” I pointed.

Her mouth was bleeding and I saw the hole where a tooth had been.

Somehow I managed to carry her to the car. Get her to the dentist who came in to his office to see her.

Hours later we drove back to the scene and were overjoyed to find the missing baby tooth.

“What did you learn?” I asked this morning.

“Don’t look back.”

Great advice that applies to many situations in life.

Yesterdays gone…and tomorrow may never be.

We have this moment to live. Keep pressing forward.

Have a great day!

 

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