A postscript to Once Upon a Tandem by the author

        For a short period of time, we considered including a complete commentary on the book right in the book itself. But, then we realized that would probably be a mistake.

        After all, the fastest way to spoil a nice thought-provoking allegory is to explain it to death. The beauty of a well-received parable is the moment of self-discovery in which readers see themselves and learn something of value that applies to their own lives

        On the other hand, there is much historical precedent for spinning a yarn and then following it up with an explanation. Teachers, preachers, and storytellers have been doing that for years. It's an old speakers trick: tell a story, make a point, tell a story, make a point, etc.

        Aesop had his memorable one-line morals. Sophocles had his Greek Chorus. The pithy lessons from Confucious' stories are now baked into fortune cookies.

        Even Jesus was known to take a moment after sharing one of his many parables and add a clarifying note or pointed question. After delivering the allegory that we now call “The Good Samaritan,” Jesus asked, “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?” When his audience gave him the obvious answer, Jesus gave an equally obvious – but necessary – command, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

        So then, let's consider, ever so briefly, the not-so-hidden message (or messages) of Once Upon a Tandem .

        Some readers may be drawn to the simple lesson that none of us can really make it on our own. We need each other. Now, you might very well be someone who has a difficult time making connections, opening up, loving, and being loved. From the opening pages, we saw the false bravado of the solo bicyclist. But, no one is an island. We get by with a little help from our friends. And, clearly, that empty seat needed to be filled.

        If you focus on the bike rider and his early obsession with hitchhikers, then you might see the story as a cautionary tale for people who make dangerous life choices or get distracted from what's truly important. The world has so much to offer. And, most of the time, it has better packaging and marketing. So, who can blame us for picking up an occasional hitchhiker and going for a thrill ride? The problem is, hitchhikers can be hazardous to your health. But the biggest danger, of course, is that when we do have a chance to invite Christ into our lives, there's no room – his seat is already taken.

        Some of the scenes in Once Upon a Tandem certainly demonstrate the lesson that things are not always as they appear to be. First impressions are not always accurate. You can't judge a book by its cover. Silver linings abound. And, the big picture is not always immediately clear.

        Also included in the book is instruction for handling disappointment and loss. When life gives you lemons, can you make lemonade? Is it naïve to think that things will always work out? How can you make the most of a second chance? Maybe it's true, when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

        Perhaps, the lesson learned on the tandem bike is one of the many lessons that our parents and teachers have been telling us for years: Cooperation. Listening. Identifying your gifts. Sharing a vision. Pursuing a dream. Knowing your own limitations. Or trusting the one who can help us finish strong.

        Maybe, the message is not to fear the unknown. We're all going to face strange roads and dangerous detours in life. Our very survival depends on who is leading the way and how closely we are willing to follow.

        It's actually quite likely, that this modern parable of just over a thousand words contains these and many other lessons including the value of perseverance, friendship, enthusiasm and setting goals.

        But, without a doubt, the single most vivid and important lesson of Once Upon a Tandem can be summarized in one word: surrender.

        That's a concept we don't value in modern culture. The idea of surrender stands in total opposition to the modern hero, the successful entrepreneur, the warrior athlete, overachieving children, and others who are held in high esteem. People of destiny don't surrender. That's for people who can't cut it. Surrendering is what wimps do.

        But the kind of surrender celebrated in this little book does not represent loss, or retreat, or lack of courage, or slothful resignation that life happens and then you die. The truth is, with our surrender, we are taking action. We are doing something. We are choosing a better way. Giving away our front seat on that tandem bike is not the easy way out. It's not following the crowd. Our choice is actually the narrow path, the road less traveled. It takes an act of self-sacrifice and courage to make such a bold decision.

        As a matter of fact, the quote from Jim Elliot we included in the opening pages of the book perfectly captures the idea of sweet, courageous surrender to Jesus. The martyred missionary said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” In the decades after his violent death, even the Auca headhunters of Ecuador would embrace that life-giving truth.

        No, this surrender is not a compromise. There's no shame. This is a wise decision based on first-hand experience and thoughtfully gathered evidence. This is submission to a higher power who is wiser and stronger, and has our very best interest in mind. It's a submission to love. It's a surrender to perfection. It's giving up, in order to receive.

        It's a revolutionary idea, actually. It's an upside down version of the world as we know it, and that little idea has been known to cause a bit of confusion to the unenlightened. But to those who make the choice, over time, the rewards become abundantly clear.

        Still, there's one more point that is even more complex and hard to grasp than anything presented thus far and here it is: all the gifts and glory of a surrendered life are absolutely free, but they cost you everything.