October 26th, 2026
“That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”
That’s the quote from Neil Armstrong as he took his first step onto the surface of the moon back in 1969.
“I did it, Grandpa!”
That’s the quote from Asher as he rode his bicycle without training wheels for the very first time yesterday afternoon. He went as far as the length of our driveway. His feat didn’t really remind me of the moon landing when he did it. Actually, I thought about the first successful flight of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk. Their ride was only a little longer than Asher’s, and I am sure those two men felt just as euphoric at their accomplishment as our grandson was with his.
Asher decided on his own that he wanted to try riding without the training wheels. Neither Karin nor I nagged him to do that. He asked me to take the small wheels off his bike, and then he pedaled from the open garage door to the street. It probably helped that there is a mild downward incline from our house to the road. After that, he wanted to ride in the street, and he briefly lost his nerve.
“Grandpa, hold me! No, not like that that! Hold on to the handlebars! I have to balance and pedal and steer all at the same time! This is hard!”
I agreed with him. I felt like that when I was learning to fly a helicopter back in 1981. Somehow, if you don’t think too much about it, it is so much easier. It’s true that you have to consciously practice for a while, and then suddenly you are just doing it. Your brain takes a break and your body takes over. That is a moment of pure joy.
Asher got back his mojo and started pedaling and steering. Then he was off to the races. I was on foot and I followed him at a distance. I did not chase after the boy. Grandpas don’t run. In any case, Asher was a thrill seeker at this point. He did not need mean near him.
My wife, Karin, came out and took a video. In our times, that is what people always do. We need to record the moment for posterity. She also yelled out advice to Asher, which he dutifully ignored. He was too busy doing to have time for listening.
Asher’s mama called him some time after that. She calls him every day, sometimes multiple times. She only gets to see him once a week, so the phone is their main form of contact. Asher told her excitedly about riding the bike without the training wheels. She was thrilled with the news but also disappointed that she had not been there to see him riding. Karin told her that she had recorded the event, and then she added,
“You can watch the video when you get out in a year or so.”
That is a small consolation. Asher’s mama is missing things in his life. I am not talking about the big stuff, like birthdays and holidays. I am talking about small steps forward and little victories. Asher is with me every day and every night, and I still miss out on some of the changes in him. Each day he is like a brand-new boy to me. How much harder it must be for his mother who only sees him briefly each week?
I missed out on a lot of things when our own children grew up. It did not help that I worked third shift and my sleep cycle was completely out of synch with the rest of my family. Even when I was home from work, I was often emotionally distant. I could be physically at home, but not really there.
I spend a great deal of time just being with Asher. I am seeing things with him that I don’t remember from all those years when our kids were growing up. I am trying to get things right this go-around.
