Our Past Tales – The Bicycle Story
As a child I had a profound feeling that I wanted to help those that had less or were treated as less. Today I am recalling a time when my neighbor told me she was spit upon by boys one block over, every day, on the way to school. I decided to walk with her to school the next day. When the boys showed up, I said “spit on my friend and deal with my brothers.” There was no spitting that day, however, several days later those boys found me alone on my way home from school, locked their bicycle wheels between my legs, and bounced them fiercely, leaving my nine-year old upper inner thigh area badly bruised and sore. Horrible as it was, I knew at a young age that standing up for what is right often comes with pain. I was so young, but I knew as the pain was occurring, that I would do it again if it stopped them from spitting on my friend and neighbor. I have never felt the pain of being spit upon day after day on the way to elementary school and for that I am grateful. My bruises healed from the retribution of those boys, however, as my neighbor is no longer with us, I will never know if she healed from being spit upon daily on her walk to grade school. Today I reconcile this memory knowing we all have a higher purpose and God is good.
Robin Restored 