I remember when I was seven years old, I was sitting on the ledge of our house. It was a brick house; one of the most charming houses one has ever seen. It was my favorite house. The ledge I was perched on was only about six feet tall, but, when I felt myself leaning over the edge, my stomach lurched and my heart jumped. But when I opened my eyes and looked up at the clouds above where I had landed, the thought that ran through my mind was, well, that was fun.
Like I said, sometimes I have the urge to fall... Sometimes I have the urge to run. It's the same thing, really. At least, I think it is. It's about freedom and letting go, right? But, the running urge only happens every great once in a while.
In the same light...I like heights. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not an adrenaline junkie. I'm not a Marla Singer, dangerously living my life knowing that I could die at any minute, but sometimes I have the urge to fall. Repelling is my favorite. Granted, I'm in a harness, and I'm not technically falling, but there is just something about not having the ground beneath my feet that is freeing. I've repelled a 275 foot wall. I've done a 250 foot slingshot. I've toed a 65 foot ledge deep down in a cave. I absolutely love roller coasters. I used to love high dives, until I got fussed at by a life guard. And I even jumped off a cliff into a river once, even though I had a bad experience following that, but that is for another post... And one day I plan on skydiving.
I say all of this, because even though I have this urge, I tend to protect myself from it in other aspects of life. I don't like the aspect of trust. I don't like the idea of losing control. I don't like trusting people, because then I'd have to fall. I don't always listen to God, because then I'd have to fall. I don't always trust my family... my friends... my professors... because then I'd have to fall.
Whenever I let go though; it pays. I learn something. I gain something. I stand back up as a better and stronger person. I challenge you today to heed the call in your life to fall... to trust... to let go... to love, or to do whatever it is that demands you to fall. You'll gain something, I promise.
Sometimes, I have the urge to fall. Falling requires trust. Falling forfeits control. Falling is a wonderful sensation.