Thoughts On Falling

I've been thinking about falling lately. I'm sure being hit by a car and being airborne over the hood has a lot to do with it. I've had lots of experience with falling and most of them have not been good. Psychologists tell us that babies are born with two innate fears: loud noises and fear of falling. Some times I wonder if I have ever grown out of my infancy as I still flinch or jump at loud noises and still have a strong fear of falling.

I love all the phrases that deal with falling, "As easy as falling off a log", "Falling head over heels", "falling for the guy", "falling in love" and my all time favorite as I begin to age....." Help, I've fallen and I can't get up!" Falling is the easy part.....it's hitting the ground that's painful, just ask Humpty Dumpty .

However, more painful than hitting the ground is the fear of the unknown that keeps me hanging on to the wall in white knuckle angst. I'm sure I've missed many opportunities out of fear of falling. I've overlooked the thrill of flight because of the ultimate crash with gravity. In The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Doug Adams reveals the secret of flying. Just launch yourself toward the ground, and miss.

All it requires is simply the ability to throw yourself forward with all your weight, and the willingness not to mind that it's going to hurt....if you fail to miss the ground. Most people fail to miss the ground, and if they are really trying properly, the likelihood is that they will fail to miss it fairly hard.

Some times the risk is worth the fall. I need to take more risks. (Note: I'm not thinking of bungee jumping off a bridge, or sky diving, thank you!) Author Melody Beattie took up skydiving and was scared senseless. Another diver told her, "When you get to the door and jump say "Woo-hoo!" You can't have a bad time if you do."

I need more "Woo-hoo" moments....(said while using crutches to get around my home). When fear hits, when I want to shrink back, hold back or my all time favorite, hide under the bed...Shout "Woo-hoo!" instead. The willingness to celebrate what we really feel can turn falling into flying, not to mention that you won't have dust bunnies all over your clothing.

But if I fall I will break into a million pieces that can never be put back together again. I don't like being broken. Brokenness involves pain....lack of control....a loss of independence....lack of usefulness.

I've been told that God will not use what He cannot break. A Jewish man asks his rabbi, "Why does God write the law on our hearts? Why not in our hearts? It's the inside of my heart that needs God." The rabbi responded, "God never forces anything into a human heart. He writes the word on our heart so that when our heart breaks, God falls in."

What a beautiful picture. I want more of God to fall in....so maybe the fear of falling will go away or maybe I'll just have to use a leap of faith, and fall into the everlasting arms. Either way I'm taking a running leap forward shouting "Woo-hoo" all the way.