A break allows refocusing on the path ahead

Writing and illustrating every week for more than four months wasn’t an easy task. So the month of May provided a chance for me to rest and regather some clarity.

After beginning again in June by finishing a review of Sinclair Ferguson’s, The Whole Christ, I anticipate writing my assessment of the book in an upcoming post. Completing a comprehensive review of the great work forced me to think afresh about a few biblical doctrines that are easy to wrap up and put aside. And I am happy for the prospect of continuing the weekly blog on davidjosephriley.com.

But this week, I would rather keep things simple and write about my month off.

As I hoped, May was pleasant and allowed me to be refreshed in the sun and warmth of the outdoors of spring in Lynchburg, Virginia. I endured a long and cold winter, and waking to the sound of birds and witnessing the early morning daylight are blessings. The sun provides a renewed vitality.

But one of the chief joys was finally being able to spend some quality time with “Cashew.” After purchasing a used Invacare Force RX last spring, the summer and better part of the fall of 2025 were spent getting the handcycle refurbished and upgraded to make it road ready for my needs. The process involved a restoration of the original hand-crank components, a new SRAM XX1, 12-speed cassette with a broad range of 10-52 teeth, an appropriate, mid-size chainring, a Bluetooth shifter, and hydraulic disk brakes. The folks at Blackwater Bike Shop were a tremendous help in making sure the equipment would suit my needs and putting it all together on a tricycle model that was new to them.

David takes Cashew out on the Blackwater Creek Trail in Lynchburg, Virginia.

By October of 2025, Cashew was all put together and was able to come home at last. And this May, I was finally able to take the trike out on a couple of four-mile bouts with anticipation of a whole summer of riding before me. And it is my hope that by the end of the summer, habitual physical training will lead to an increase in endurance as seen in distance, speed, and greater climb.

After my four-mile ride this morning, I was good and tired. Intending to beat my last time on the same route, I pedaled a little more powerfully while not letting up to just let myself coast downhill. I beat myself by two minutes.

Another notable thing happened at the beginning of May: I was given the opportunity to read a book I wrote, illustrated, and produced in 2020 to some kindergarten classes at one of the local elementary schools. I have a friend from the gym whose daughter-in-law is one of the teachers. My 14 year-old nephew was there to turn the pages, and we had an extra copy of the book to project onto the wall.

The title, Two Trucks,  is a simple picture book about the joy of hard work in living a life of meaning and purpose. The book went along well and with the students’ character trait of the month, creativity, and I was able to answer the questions the young minds of the audience would ask.

My experience with the young children at school was great. The students had an excellent teacher who truly cared about their development. If my visit to a public school in the first week of May were an actual reflection of the reality in the development of young minds, there would be no cause of concern for the next generation.

But I left the schoolhouse that day with a little concern over the future prospects of those children. On that particular day, things looked good for the kids at Leesville Road Elementary. But how will they continue to be guided? Who will step up and see them through the next phase? For many, it won’t be their parents. More screen-time can’t do it. One day, the students will sit under the dribble of a radical educational theory that blends post-deconstructionist with therapeutic ideals. And then what?

Riding my trike pushes me to do more and better, and my day in May at Leesville Road Elementary impresses in me the necessity of proper guidance of the young minds in my community. If we sow nothing, we will reap nothing. What can I do?