Staying indoors at all times was one of the hardest things to get used to when our world came to standstill as a result of the pandemic. So, when it was announced that people could step out for an hour every day for exercise, I did not waste any time and took my restless and bored self off to the community park. And that is where I spotted the green Careem bikes parked neatly in a row!
I used to careem around on my bicycle in the play area as a kid. However, as I outgrew the bike, I developed other interests and gave up cycling. I hesitated a little – could I get myself to balance? My initial clumsy attempts went mostly unnoticed thanks to social distancing norms. After a few wobbly starts I was happily riding around the park. The rush of breeze and the sense of freedom was exhilarating and euphoric!
Cycling for an hour every morning is now the best part of my day. Just as I rediscovered the simple pleasure of riding a bicycle, I was delighted to learn that 3rd June is celebrated as World Bicycle Day. In 2018, the United Nations declared this day as World Bicycle Day to acknowledge “the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the bicycle”. The bicycle has been in use for more than two hundred years and has outlived inventions such as the hourglass, abacus, typewriter and telephone book.
There are legions of benefits in cycling. As I was counting the health advantages of bicycling while enjoying my last spin around the park for the morning, it occurred to me that the pandemic gave me the opportunity to do something different. This fun activity was my silver lining that I would continue even after I get back to my normal post-Covid-19 routine.
Anitej Chanda (10A)