LIFE LESSONS: [n] exceptionally important things you learn through mistakes.

It was after school, and I was on my way home on my bike. I had decided not to wear my helmet that day because my hair, for once, did not need to be smoothed by my helmet.

Life lesson number one: do not bike without your helmet.

It almost seemed justifiable at the time, because I decided to call one of my friends. I was skilled at biking so I steered with my left hand and my cell phone was in my right hand.

Life lesson number two: do not bike while on the phone.

At that time, while on the phone in a particularly intriguing conversation, I realized that my helmet was beginning to slip off of my handlebars. Since I was skilled at biking without hands, I proceeded to begin to push them back onto the handlebars.

Life lesson number three: do not attempt to fix anything while on the phone.

It occurred to me after I picked up my hand that while my left hand was free, it was the right side that had the helmet slipping off. It was about to fall in less than a second, so quick as a fly, I whipped over and grabbed it.

Life lesson number four: do not ever touch the wrong side of your handles with your hand.

Once my hand connected with the handlebars, it proceeded to turn a slightest bit, but then my hand countered it by pulling back. Only normally, pulling back would turn the wheel to the left. In this case, it pulled towards the right, where it was already tilting.

Life lesson number five: your body has automatic protection that will protect you. It doesn’t always work out.

As I swerved, my hand countered more by pulling even harder, until I crashed over on the bike and fell on the road in the middle. My cell phone went flying, my helmet went flying, my bike went flying, and I went flying.

Life lesson number six: parents may not always be sympathetic of ripped jeans.