by Cheryl Guerin
I love to bike.
For years now, my sister, Kim, and I have made an effort to ride together whenever we can. We even did a four-day, 120-mile trip a couple of summers ago. Recently, my lifelong friend, Jenny, has started to take up riding, too.
When I asked them to ride twenty-six miles with me at the Highs & Lows Tour, Kim, who had ridden twenty-six miles many times, said, “No problem.”
Jenny, who had never ridden that far before, said, “I’ll give it a try.”
If you’re unfamiliar, the Highs & Lows Tour is a fundraising bike ride with the mission to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention; break down stigma around mental health; raise critical funds for NAMI NH; and bring people together for a day of movement, joy, and community. Organized entirely by volunteers to benefit NAMI NH, the Highs & Lows Tour has never been about finishing times. It’s about the fact that mental health touches every one of us, and that a day spent riding, cheering, and sitting together afterward is one small way of saying nobody has to carry it alone.
We could feel the excitement on the morning of the ride as we got our gear on, filled our water bottles, checked our bikes, and joined the crowd of other riders. I kept noticing Jenny looking down at texts – friends encouraging her and sending her best wishes for a good ride. After listening to the speeches and talking with other riders, we finally hit the road!
The ride itself was strenuous. Another rider in our group really struggled and fell twice along the route. Jenny, Kim, and I took our time, kept our eyes on one another, and with a lot of support and encouragement, we were able to finish strong. At the finish line, we joined the crowd and enjoyed live music, cold beverages, and a cookout.
As we were resting and eating our lunch, I saw that Jenny received many more messages congratulating her for having finished the ride. So many people were proud of what she had accomplished and were reaching out to her, celebrating with and for her.
Two things hit me that day.
The first happened when Jenny called me out for saying that the other rider fell twice. She corrected me, saying that the rider got back up twice.
We were riding to support an organization that provides hope to so many. Reframing this rider’s experience from falling twice to getting up twice was brilliant and exemplified so much of what NAMI NH seeks to achieve. The journey of living with a loved one with mental illness is full of getting back up, again and again. Something much easier to do when you have hope.
The second came when I reflected on how I have lived with a loved one with a mental illness for years. When my loved one is struggling or dysregulated, it’s just another day for me. I’ve done this “ride” many times before.
But for those who are experiencing the mental illness of a loved one for the first time, they need encouragement, someone to come alongside them, a lot of support, and a pat on the back when they make it through hard things. Just like Jenny did on that day, when she rode her bike twenty-six miles for the first time in her life.
What I thought would be just another Saturday bike ride turned into something far greater. It reminded me how critical it is that I, and so many other volunteers for NAMI NH, speak into the lives of others who are facing the challenges of mental illness. That we reach out with encouragement before a big day and celebrate their accomplishments with them. To share their pain and promote hope.
While I can’t say that I have finished the race, I can say that I am stronger than I have ever been because of the support and education that I have received from NAMI NH.
Join me in getting involved. Visit the NAMI NH website at www.naminh.org or call the Information and Resources Line at 800-242-6264. To learn more about the Highs & Lows Tour, visit www.highsandlowstour.com
Cheryl Guerin is the President of the NAMI NH Board of Directors. She volunteers for NAMI NH programs, is an HR Professional, and lives in the Upper Valley.
