I’ve learned from son Tad. Somewhere along the way on his PeaceBike journey, he got his first flat tire. Then another. I suspect he was in Mexico (but I could go back and check his journals to be sure) when he made the decision that he needed to do something to keep from being irritated and discouraged whenever a flat happened, since it surely WOULD happen on this bike journey around the world. So he renamed a “flat tire” a “Fiesta Tire.” Did the renaming perhaps include time for thoughts of how far he’d come, how grateful he was for the goodness of people along the way, what this edu-venture was all about? At least for me, when he journaled about this, it was a bright and inspiring reminder that how we frame it, how we name it, matters.
Some 18 years later, this past week, he did another reframing, renaming. For a long time, Saturday has been “Saturday, Daddy Day” or Saturday, Dad’er Day, as a book they read called it, and he and Sky have been off on all kinds of adventures. But two days ago, Saturday came, and he had to work, so as to shift his days off to the first of the week when he could build their new house. Saturday was not to be Daddy Day after all. BUT… they had already devised a new plan. The next day would be “Sunday, FunDay,” so all would be well. And yesterday, Sunday, they went to Salem, rode the carousel, biked/jogged/strollered (Alanna and Jade went too, spreading the fun even further) along the new bridge (the “Peter Courtney Bridge” Sky told me today!) and path to the island, ate at Marco Polo, visited an organic foods/snack place, played at Gilbert House Children’s Museum, and finally, in the car seat – fully tuckered out – yet knowing it was a day for doing absolutely everything fun, Sky fell asleep whispering softly, “Can we go to …”.
Between 1999 and 2017, I’m sure Tad has done this kind of thing many times, as his spirit is so positive and encouraging, but these “bookend” occasions – 18 years apart – just brought it to mind for me in a very clear way. And he will continue on in that spirit, I’m sure, knowing Tad.
Kathy -June 12, 2017
Posted September 2024 (as we celebrate 25 years this month since PeaceBike began a world journey by bike to build understanding and connect children around the world; the story is told in the newly released book, PEACEBIKE: the Journals – Tales of Generosity, Friendship, and Seeds of Peace Along the Backroads of the World)