A little whisper in the dark

Look, no hands

It is a newborn infant's propensity to cry. In fact its about the very first thing that it does when it leaves the mother's womb. Perhaps some may call it a programmed reaction to clear the mucus from the windpipe in preparation for the cutting of the umbilical cord. Anyhow, I am not a human biology person.

I'd like to think that the infant cries because of fear. Having been safely ensconced in a warm and cosseting environment for 10 months and suddenly thrust into a cold, bright world with unfamiliar sounds and sights is most definitely a harrowing experience. Though as we grow older we learn to hold back the tears and the crying, the sensation and feeling would still remain: we fear the unknown and we react.

Riding a bicycle with no hands is a similarly emboldening experience. We learn to ride a bicycle and we cling onto the handlebars for dear life, knowing that it gives stability and it gives direction. And then we gradually learn to ride with one hand, but still the tenacious hold is there. Still we hold on.

To ride with no hands is as un-natural as the first time the infant needs to take a dump. A part of itself is trying to leave its own body and the infant doesn't know to cope with the unfamiliar sensations. Just like the leap of faith to let go of the handlebars totally, fighting the survival instinct to grab it again, fighting to avoid the reflex process of preventing yourself falling off a moving bike.

Cross that psychological barrier, face down the fear, and suddenly you wonder why you never could do it before.

posted by Chung Leong @ 2:47 AM