This is our latest aquisition – Maddie’s tag-along-bike. She is SO proud! When we got to church on Sunday morning, she had to show it off to anyone who would stop to look.
There’s an incredible scene in American Beauty, when Ricky Fitts is showing the girl (can’t remember her name) the video of a plastic bag floating in the breeze. He says, as his eyes fill with tears, “Sometimes there’s so much beauty in the world I feel like I can’t take it, like my heart’s going to cave in.” That’s how I felt this weekend on the numerous occasions when we went out for family bike rides. Pedalling my bike behind my husband and three daughters on a perfect spring day felt almost overwhelmingly beautiful – so beautiful I felt my heart would cave in.
It’s hard to describe when you have a moment in time that feels as close to perfection as you can imagine. The sun shining, the warm Spring air, the man that you love ahead of you, Maddie saying hello to people on the sidewalk as she bounces along behind her dad, Nikki racing to try to beat her dad, Julie’s earnest look on her face as she pours her heart into pedaling… it’s almost more than the heart can take. We biked a couple of times to St. Vital park, watched the sun begin to set on the overflowing river, tossed breadcrumbs to the ducks on the duck pond, climbed the rocks – basically had an amazing time.
My life is full, and I am happy. May I live to see many more bike rides with my family.