Destiny strikes again!

I am a fan of the plan of the universe. There are many things in life that have left me scratching my head asking the proverbial "why" with no answer in sight. So I have always subscribed to the "everything happens for a reason" philosophy. Many times I don't know the reason nor do I ever figure out what it was. But I calm myself with the thought that there is a reason for everything. For instance I think I am meant to be with Sean. Is there someone else out there who could put up with me on a regular basis? Maybe, I don't really know nor do I care. But to quote the most cheesy goodness that is Jerry Maguire "He completes me". He's the best part of my day, every day, and that is all I really need. He is my destiny.

But I digress from my story of the day. Let me set the stage by rewinding. Just few weeks ago in preparation for a brewing day, Sean and I were straightening up the garage. It's a bit of a disaster right now and we were at least trying to clear a usable path. The curse of the single car garage asked to house 5 motorcycles in various states of disrepair, 6 bikes, half a dozen snowboards...well, you get the picture. As we were moving things around I came upon the jr. sized bmx bike I had purchased for my nephew a few summers back. Oh how I loved buying that bike. We went to the bike shop and I let him pick it out. He selected this shiny bmx bike with both hand brakes and foot brakes. I envisioned us taking tons and tons of bike rides together while he was in town. Oh yes, we Aunts live in a cotton candy world of unrealistic expectations.

What actually happened was that we rode together to the park just down the street from our house exactly 3 times. I doubt there is even much more than a mile or two on that bike. Zach has long since outgrown its younger boy frame. And the truth is, a middle school boy is not likely to be coming to visit and ride bikes with his Aunt and Uncle anytime soon. Our cool factor is quickly wearing off and I see in the future the couple of phone calls a year and the exchange of school fund raising checks. The hazard of a long distance relationship. No one's fault but fate. Sean wanted me to give that bike to Goodwill that day. I knew he was right, but I just couldn't do it. Dream unrealized.

Turns out, Destiny, Fate, call it what you will...had another plan. Today our neighbors came home from their weekend camping trip with big news. Hugh has learned to ride a two-wheeler bike. Off go the training wheels on his tiny first bike. He was so proud telling us about his trip with his camping buddy around the camp ground. Turns out though that his parents wanted to buy him a new bike for his birthday but they were having trouble finding the right one with the features he wants on the budget they have. The economy has not been kind in our neighborhood. And it was at that moment that my "destiny" and I exchanged "the look" that said, yep, I'm thinking what you're thinking. Simultaneously we said "we have a bike for him in the garage". So we pulled it out, dusted it off, aired up the tires and wheeled it over. Our gift to them.

Anyone who has ever met a first grader knows that there is a direct correlation to the amount of excitement and the speed at which they are able to talk. And Hugh, he was talking a mile a minute. Turns out, this bike is almost identical to his new buddy's who he had spent the weekend riding with. So as we watched him strap on his helmet, adjust the seat and head off down the side walk on his new steed a thought occurred to me. Maybe Zach wasn't meant to be the owner of that bike in the first place...maybe he was just a temporary custodian. All I know is watching the glow on Hugh's face made everything right again in the universe. Well, at least the universe on our street.

A bike is meant to be owned and ridden by someone who will love it. I think that bike found its destiny too.