Report march 2003

Hi, it has been a while since my last report. Busy times and many changes in my personal life have been the cause of my delayed report. But today I decided to take my bike to a friends house, instead of the Volkswagen and I saw something that touched me, and that I wanted to share with you.

As you know, cycling is a common thing in Holland. We all do it. As a kid, as an adult and even at old age. We take it to school, to work and to friends. And even here the car has been winning ground from the cyclers but will probably never win on short distances. You see, in a small country, everything is (relatively) close by and being a hardheaded bunch of people we do not fear the sometimes fierce wind, rain and cold. No we conquer it!. It is a very common thing to see a Dutch person, cycling through an open plain, head dug down deep close to the handles, pumping from left to right helping the foot that is going down to fight the wind  keep going, with the head lifted to see through the rain pounding down. In the city having a bike as old and ugly as possible, is the best way to ensure it not getting stolen. But for the more remote parts of Holland (if you can speak of remote) you need a better bike, because the distances traveled by bike are far greater than in the city. It is not uncommon to cycle 8,5 miles to school.

There are a few rules to cycling in Holland though. You see, the goal is to never stop cycling unless you have reached your destination. To insure you can without trouble you must stick to the following rules: 

1. Never obey traffic lights.
2. Use whatever ground you have to cycle including sidewalks and grass
3. Do not slow down even on sidewalks and grass
4. Do not pay attention or move aside for cars or other traffic
5. Never show your intended direction to cars or other traffic
6. Do not use a bike-light even when it is dark of raining
7. Park your bike, anywhere you please
8. Be ruthless and fearless

If you obey these simple rules, you’ll be fine in Dutch traffic. You see when you drive a car Holland must be by far the country with the most, and most ridiculous rules. And you better stick to them otherwise your in trouble. But once you hop on a bike, all is forgotten and you basically do whatever you please. A god on wheels.

Perhaps I will tell you more about this at some other time. But back to the subject at hand: I was riding my bike and the weather was quite nice, had it not been for a great wind cutting across my face. Right in front of me were to other daredevils on wheels. One was a big adult and was going at a steady pace with the pedals going up and down. Beside him was a smaller version of himself with a huge pony-tail. And being smaller was doing about three times the pace the larger was doing. Fighting the wind this little girl was doing all she could to keep up with her daddy.

And out of nowhere came daddy’s big hand and landed on her back. Soon the little girls pedals were no longer moving and daddy was making all the more effort to move them both. And right then and there, I felt it. I felt how beautiful this small gesture was. I’m sure the little girl did not think about it twice but I did. I remembered all the times I was on my bike with my dad and he told me he tried to help. But I was always to proud to accept. I wanted to show that I could do it. Proof that I was strong enough. Ready for anything. But I didn’t realize I wasn’t that strong if I wasn’t able to accept help.

And on my bike I felt myself wishing to be that little girl again and for just a moment, stop peddling and hoping my daddy would push me forward. But I am not that little girl. Not anymore. And if I ask the wind to carry me, it will fight me on the way back.  And all I could do is hope that I and we all, once in a while will accept a hand to push us forward.. Because we have to travel alone, but always will have people along the way traveling at the same pace. If only for a while. 

I know I am not the person to talk but in trying to be better than I have been, I ask your help. To be my friend and to accept my friendship and understand why we all should open our hearts for each other. Not just me but everyone: Neighbors, friends, people we know and people we don’t know. And especially the people we do not care for much, of even dislike because even they can use a hand sometimes.