Humankind stands on the brink of a vast canyon. Each of us live our lives with our toes curled around the edge. Behind us stands a forest, neither dark nor foreboding, simply there. In front of us lies the greatest drop we've ever seen and beyond that lies a vast land full of greenery, fruits, rivers, and flowers. We stand wondering what we need to do to get to the land we see beyond us. Small groups form, debating what the best way would be to get across. Two people, a man and a woman jump from the edge, they fly for quite a ways before he tells her she is holding his hand too tight and they begin bickering. They are no longer able to fly and both plummet toward the rocks below. Cries go up down the line of humanity, some begin weeping. Another couple launches themselves off the edge and this time they make it to the land beyond with out quibbling. They land gracefully and begin wandering around and looking at all the wonderous sights. Wonder and awe fills the people standing on the ledge. The couple below pick themselves back up and take hands again, they begin to soar again and though they fall back down many times, they pick themselves back up and make it to the other side.
A man flings himself off the edge, trying to reach the other side alone. He falls as soon as his feet leave the earth. Battered and bruised, he picks himself up but cannot seem to go anywhere but back. He climbs and reaches the rest of humanity again.
Some people panic and run into the forest, I am one of them. The forest is safe and has what I need to sustain myself, alone, I don't need anyone to help me. Every once in a while I run back to the edge and gaze longingly into the land beyond. Many times someone comes up to me and offers to take me there. Even though I know that two can make it together I've seen too many people fall to the rocks below and some never make it back up. They choose to stay down among the rocks because they can't be hurt again if they are already on the ground. I don't want to be one of those people. I retreat into the forest each time, never taking a hand.
This last time though, someone approaches me with honesty and confidence in his eyes. He admits that he is scared too, but he is willing to try. He stretches out his hand and I take it. We make it to the edge, panic wells up inside me, but I look into his eyes and he smiles at me. I take confidence and we fling ourselves off.
I've never felt this before, flying, it is beautiful and wonderful. I look at him and laugh, he is amazed too. I let my eyes wander and I see the rocks below us, fear grabs me and I feel myself falling. I'm pulling him down too, I look at him and see that he is afraid too, we begin falling faster. I try to let go so I won't drag him down too but he holds firm and tries to pull me up. I believe he can pull us back up and already I feel myself floating again. We straighten out and continue flying toward the land before us. Many friends stand to greet us cheering us on. Finally we touch down and embrace those around us.
I realize that if I hadn't been willing to fall I would never have flown. I had to be willing to take the chance that I might have been dashed against the rocks below, because being where I am now is completely worth it. I had finally been able to trust that someone else had my best interests at heart too.
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