One new skill I learned as a child was riding a bicycle. I was about six years old at the time, and it was a big deal to me¹ because most of the children in my neighbourhood could already ride one confidently. My father taught me this skill during a summer holiday. He borrowed a small blue bicycle from one of our relatives, and every evening after dinner², he took me to an empty playground near our home. At first, he held the back of the seat while I tried to keep my balance³ and pedal at the same time. I found it surprisingly difficult because I was scared of falling and I tended to look down⁴ at the pedals instead of looking ahead. My father was extremely patient. He kept reminding me to relax, look forward, and steer gently. After several days of practice⁵, I suddenly realised that he had let go of the bike without telling me. For a few seconds, I was riding completely on my own. Although I soon lost my balance and fell onto the grass, I was absolutely thrilled. Learning to ride a bicycle made me feel proud and independent⁶. It also taught me that progress often takes patience and repeated practice. Even now, whenever I ride a bike, I remember that exciting moment when I first discovered that I could do it by myself.