Uphills

I don't know about the other parents out there, but we're biking more now than ever.

And I'm perfectly OK with that!

I loved riding my bike as a kid and love watching my kids ride and explore.

It certainly is a different day for my kids than when I was a kid... So much has changed.

One thing that hasn't changed, is ---Doing hard things is critical for a healthy self esteem and confidence level.

The trouble is...

Our technological advancements are pushing society towards making life EASIER, not harder.

What has that (and other contributing factors) lead to?

Historical rates **in kids** for --- obesity, stress, disorders, depression, and so on.

Side note: I love my technology as much, if not more, than the next guy. This is not a post to bash technology.

I want my kids to be healthy, confident, competent, and happy adults when they grow up.

I'm sure you do too.

And that means doing things that stretch ourselves and our kids, so they know that discomfort can be a means to a better end, one that they can discover because of the struggle.

So, what did we do?

Maddi (my 9 year old) and I decided we were going to make the 3.5 mile trek to grandma's house.

She was going to ride her bike.

I was going to jog.

It wasn't really far for me... I did 6 Spartan races last year after all.

But 3.5 miles in this suffering COVID body kinda felt like 10 miles!!!

For Maddi, 3.5 miles on her bike would be her farthest ride yet.

But she was up for the challenge. :)

To speed along the story...

At one point, she said something that struck me while we were going uphill...

"Daddy, I just really don't like going uphill!! I wish it was always downhill, all the time. That would be so much fun."

For some reason that resonated with me... And I imagined a world where everything was downhill...

In the most literal meaning, SURE! Riding downhill on a bike for hours on end would be amazing!

Super fun.

But, going through a lifetime of "downhill" would not.

Sure, it might seem nice for a while...

Everything was a breeze... No challenges come up... No fights or uncomfortable situations...

But living a life of constant "downhills" would soon turn into a nightmare.

We were created for the challenges!

Created for the struggles!

Because they are what make us stronger.

The uphills on our bike ride were a challenge for sure, especially for Maddi's 9-year-old legs.

But for her to grow and develop into a healthy adult, she NEEDS the uphills.

Physically, they'll make her stronger.

Mentally, they'll allow her to see "uphill things" from a victor's perspective.

Emotionally, she'll feel confident that she can do it, because she's done it before.

Spiritually, she'll know that Her creator made her capable, adaptable, and strong.

So, we pressed on...

Uphill after uphill...

Until....

We made it to Grandma's house. :)

We're all going through an UPHILL time right now.

But it won't be in vain...

If you keep peddling and keep putting one foot in front of the other...

You'll look at the uphills ahead of you a little bit differently.