What is your favorite childhood memory? We asked our CISL students if they could recall a special time in their youth and share it with us. Karinne Schazmann’s beautiful entry was a clear winner! Thank you, Karinne, for such a heartfelt story. We enjoyed reading it, and we hope the other students do as well!
Karinne M. Schazmann
A typical day of summer. I was almost 10 years old and full of energy like all the kids of this age. I was playing at the backyard with my brother, while my father happily watched us. After a few minutes, he came to me and asked “Do you want to learn something special today?” I was so excited that I didn’t even think about what it could be, and said “Of course day! Can we do it now?”
He walked me to the basement, and got my bicycle. I sighed and disappointed, I told him “I already know how to ride a bike, dad”. He calmly answered me, “Are you sure? And why don’t you ask me to take the training wheels off?” I firmly told him “Because I don’t need to. Why should I take them off if I can keep them there?” He answered, “What if someday you need to ride a friend’s bike, without the training wheels, would you be able to? I nodded without enthusiasm.
Outside, my father took off the training wheels and explained to me all over again, how to ride a bike. It was boring; I just got up on the bike to show him I already knew that. He told me “Alright! Go on around the whole yard and then, come back here.” I started cycling and before I get two-feet away from dad, I fell. Crying and with a hurt knee I screamed, “Why did you do this” dad was laughing. He helped me to get up and told me. “I guess now you want to learn how to make it right.”
I was mad and with a skinned knee, I still wondering what was all that about. I got on the bike again; my father was holding me at this time. I started cycling and he held me for a short distance. I only realized he had let me go when I was almost finishing the round around the yard. I shouted “Look at me! I’m riding, Dad!”
When I got back to him, he asked me “Do you see how important it was?” I wasn’t sure if I should answer him, so I just waited. And he concluded, “It wasn’t just about the training wheels my daughter. You get them to help you learn to ride a bike, until you don’t need it anymore. Just like life is sometimes, you need education, balance, and support to learn how to handle correctly the situations, to be prepared for that. Sometimes you won’t have tools or experience enough to support you. Because of that, learn from every situation the most you can.”  My eyes were watering, and I said “Thank you Dad, for being my support, but can I keep you forever?” He laughed and hugged me “I’ll try, my dear”
That day was amazing, and I will always keep it in mind. I’ve been trying to get lessons about everything, so they can be my support one day.  Also, I’ve been through many tough situations, a couple of that I wasn’t prepared for at all; but I did my best to get over them, using the experience I’ve acquired. I learned I won’t always have training wheels to help me; Sadly, neither will I have my parents, but I’ll sure have in my heart their lessons, love and all the great things they had taught me in life.