What A 3 Year Old With A Tricycle Taught Me About Life

My amazing little three-year-old son Ryan is the proud owner of a luxurious baby blue plastic tricycle. While his usage of pedals is a skill yet undeveloped, it nevertheless brings him great joy to scoot along the pavement with the wind in his hair and a smile on his face. A daredevil at heart, and the younger sibling of two older boys, he scoots with reckless abandon and lifts his feet in the air while going down hills to pickup speed. (His dad is generally running right behind him trying to keep up.) His little tricycle has become both a symbol and a facilitator of fun, freedom, and adventure. 

In one of our first attempts to venture out during the coronavirus, my precious bride and I loaded up our three kids, two bikes, and a certain little blue plastic trike and headed to a nearby park for a chance to spread out and enjoy the fresh air. My little “Ry guy” was all smiles as he scooted around chasing birds while my bride and I enjoyed the sunset, a welcome reminder that this day will too pass and that new adventures lie ahead. 

And then Ryan stopped.

A few BMX guys had entered the scene and had completely captured the attention of one adventure- seeking three year old, his eyes fixated on a whole array of tricks, from wheelies to headstands to jumps. And Ryan just sat there, soaking it in. 

A few minutes later, he started biking (er…triking?) again.

Something was different this time though. Ryan wasn’t just smiling and scooting, he was now attempting a three-year-old’s version of BMX tricks. Yes, I’m serious. The entire park could hear the sound of my Ry guy’s plastic wheels smacking against the pavement as he attempted jump after jump. And I swear, that little guy got a whole two millimeters off the ground. Even the BMX guys were smiling when they realized what was going on.

Because someone is always watching, aren’t they? 

In the words of the American poet Tracy K. Smith, “And then I think, maybe that’s what we are. An accidental spectacle.” 

Or maybe sometimes the spectacle isn’t so accidental, even if we don’t always grasp the significance of those moments. There’s a story in the Bible where Jesus is gathered around a bunch of seemingly ordinary people, but He invites them to be more. They are like bright lights that aren’t meant to be hidden, but are meant to shine in such a way that other people would take notice, and that doing so might even change something inside of them. (Matthew 5:14-16) 

Which brings me back to my three year old and his tricycle. As we watched the renewed passion in my son’s eyes and heard the click of his plastic wheels against the pavement, my wife and I began to ponder aloud whether one day Ryan would himself be a BMX guy, touring the circuit on the X games or maybe even the Olympics, and whether we would trace it all the way back to this moment in the park on a blue plastic tricycle. Every day you have a choice about what kind of “accidental spectacle” others see…How you live, how you speak, how you love, how you face fear, how you embrace hope, how you treat others. What impact will you have?  

There just might be a three year old watching. 

Leave a comment below about an impact on your life, or how you would like to be known for treating others.  We’d love to hear from you.