I looked down.
Five hundred feet in the air didn’t look so fun now that I was up here.
Strapped up.
Ready to jump.
I had talked my mother into letting me go bungee jumping because it looked like a lot of fun while on the secure footing of the ground and now I had changed my mind. I was suddenly glad that my bungee cord was attached to my waist because had they have been tying people up by the ankles, I would have never considered.
But I still didn’t feel safe and instantly wanted off this ride.
Me: Hey, let me down!
Bungee Guru: No!
Me: Ex-cu-se you (said with A LOT of attitude)!!!
Bungee Guru: Come on (he said, as if it were routine). This really is a lot of fun. It’s not scary at all. Look, if the girl in front of you can do it…so can you!
It was peer pressure at it’s finest and it had worked.
The girl ahead of me was my height. Size. And shape. I couldn’t let her beat me, despite the fact that we weren’t even playing a game. I had made up my mind, that I was all in, but only if she was!
While I waited for “the competition” to hurl her body off of the ledge into the dark sky (yes, it was night time, go figure), I closed my eyes and said a, “Jesus don’t let me die!” prayer and just as I opened my eyes back up…she was gone.
Me: (Looking down. Seeing nothing) She jumped already? That quick? She didn’t scream, or…”
Bungee Guru: No. She quit. Gave up. Wanted out. (he paused. Then scooted me forward) Now, it’s your turn.
I turned pale.
Took both hands and held on tightly to the poles and refused to let go.
I had made up my mind. Since “the competition” didn’t jump, neither would I.
Bungee Guru: Look (he said sensing my resistance and realizing that he was going to lose another sale). You won’t regret doing this. Nothing is going to happen to you and there’s a huge inflated cushion to catch you just in case.
I looked down.
Saw the cushion from afar. It made me feel safer. Sort of.
He continued. “I’ll count to three and slightly push you off, ok?”
I nodded my head in agreement.
Because deep down inside I really wanted to go. Just didn’t have the guts to do it on my own.
One.
Two.
And then he shoved me off the ledge. Totally skipping the number three.
WTF happened to the number three???
The air hit my face as I headed towards the ground. My scream was startling. Horrifying. My past flashed before my eyes. This was “it.” I was sure.
And just as I was about to make my peace with God, the cord jolted me back up. There it was. The bounce I’d been waiting for. The bounce that let me know that I was still alive. The bounce that allowed me to enjoy how much fun this really was. The bounce that took away all of my regret.
I was happy that I decided to “jump.”
Despite the fact that “the competition” didn’t.
My question to you is:
What in your life have you refused to try because of your fear of not knowing what the outcome would be? What stranger have you unconsciously competed with in this game called life and based your level of success on what their next move was going to be?
What’s my point?
STOP competing with other people.
She was never going to jump. Her heart wouldn’t let her.
But I was built differently.
And would’ve never gained that awesome experience had I of followed in her footsteps.
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xoox
Tiph
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