I once tried to climb a massive tree that was calling me to sit up in the cradle of it's branches. In my excitement, I forgot to realize that pulling myself up on two branches that were only about as big around as my thumb, would probably end in disaster. It did. The branches snapped, and I was abruptly reacquainted with my old friend, gravity. As I laid on the very hard, lumpy, apple-strewn ground trying to find where my breath had gone, my sister leaned over me, laughing hysterically and attempted to inquire about my well-being. "Are you....ok.....Mandi?"
Even though I couldn't yet catch my breath, I was laughing as I looked up at the sky through the branches of the tree I'd tried to climb. Somehow, I wasn't embarrassed, hurt, or even remorseful. As I laughed at my falling, all I could think, "that was fun." The joy that my realization that I was indeed bound by the law of gravity brought to the face of my sister made the failed attempt to ascend the tree not a failure at all, but in fact, a much more profound success. I found and shared joy and laughter.
Falling can be fun.
So true - it's that same idea, sort of, that you can't really connect with people unless you let yourself be vulnerable with them.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't get much more vulnerable than literally falling!
I figure, what is there to lose? I know that the ground will always be there to catch me. What if today is the day that I will fly? I'll never know unless I jump sometimes to find out if today might be the day!
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