I REALLY like taking the tricycle. I like the wind on my face, and the spray of mist from the rain. Even the heat of the sun is okay with me. I like the sound of gentle roaring that its motor makes albeit, there are times when it is quite irritating.
I like the sputtering sound that it makes when it decelerates. Sure sometimes I need to painfully contort myself to get into the seats but well, that’s okay too! There are times when I get jolted in my seat when we go over humps but that happens to me when I ride cars too!
What is not to like about them? Oh I know they can be nuisances on the road especially when they do not follow rules and proper road courtesy. But still they make my life easier, and they are affordable.
I find it very convenient to move around our area because it is no near home and two workplaces. Whenever I fancy going to Bankerohan to do some marketing, I can do that too! I have seen quite a few of my friends’ surprised faces whenever they would see me riding at the back (or front) of a tricycle with a foot half-dangled and protruding out of the tricycle “safe zone.” Hahaha.
I have been asked if I had car trouble and if I needed a ride, and I would decline politely and say that I am fine; and that I usually ride tricycles around the F. Torres-Central Bank-Davao Doc areas! It is my turf anyway so I am pretty comfortable commuting via tricycle in the area!
I often think about what it is that really makes me like riding tricycles so much. Yeah, the kind of thinking that actually requires reflection and serious deliberation.
Quite honestly, I have been warned time and again about the perils of riding it and yes, I realize that if I ever figured into any form of transportation accident with a tricycle, I would be at a greater risk of suffering serious injuries. Yes. I know. But still I ride.
Maybe because I am still amused that tricycle drivers actually offer to take me in as a passenger. I am no longer the “invisible” morbidly obese woman who had limited transportation choices because my size limited my options.
Yes I had my “tampo” then when drivers refused to let me ride and/or made fun of my attempt to do so, but for the most part, I actually understood why. Of course they needed to maximize the number of people who could ride their tricycles, para sa ekonomiya, I totally understand.
Also, I was so big then that it was sheer torture to attempt to fit into the seats! I would get muscle spasms in the abdomen whenever I would try to cram myself into that limited space!
Sometimes, I honestly felt scared that I would topple the tricycle over because of my weight! And I have to say there are those times, during uphill routes, when I pitied the tricycle because it sounded it was struggling with the load (me) it had to carry uphill! Seriously, I would have gotten off if the tricycle driver asked me!
So now that I have lost a lot of weight, I am driver-approved to ride!
Yey! It has opened up more options and greater mobility for me. Every time I would sit inside I tricycle, I get that happy gush and my cheeks would turn blush pink from the sheer joy of being able to do it!
A lot of us take mundane things for granted but there is a small subset of society that actually cannot do what we can do! I think that I am lucky to have been given the chance to view the world from both sides because it gives me that sense of appreciation for the things that I have now. Being able to transcend from nothingness to something has taught me to appreciate everything that I have now.
In my life, it really is more than just a tricycle ride but the lessons that I have learned in my struggle to make my life better. Really, my 354-pound self would be leaping for joy if she could!
Another thing about tricycle rides is the opportunity to connect with the common tao. I say this not with a sense air nor that feeling of superiority, mind you. I find connecting with Manong, Kuya and the assortment of people that I ride with, important because it keeps me humble and thankful for all the blessings that I enjoy. And they remind me that it is not all about fame, power and success.
Sometimes just being able to put food on the table and being able to go home safe is enough reward for going through a challenging day. My father, when he was still alive, always reminded me to be kind to everyone and to listen to those who were willing to share parts of their lives with me because there is always something to be learned from them.
We often get lost in aspirations and dreams in life that we lose track of what really matters like family and friends. Sometimes we have lofty ideas that we overlook the simple ones that can easily nourish the soul.
I am often reminded that a lot of things that matter in life cannot be bought, but rather felt and experienced. One of these days, I will tell you about life conversations and the realizations that I had during my public transportation rides.
Basta, walang basagan ng trip. I love tricycle rides. My Mom loves doing the laundry at 4 a.m. Meimei likes doing the dishes. My sister Leah likes her Korean Universe. Haha. Simple things. Some we do not even like doing sustain and make other people happy and grounded.
It makes this crazy life better. It makes all things good. See ya, my tricycle has reached home!
Happy Sunday Everyone! :)