I’ve always been fascinated by the heavens, whether it is the stars that decorate the night sky or the white puffs of clouds that depict such interesting pictures as they float by on their blue canvas. Often I find myself envious of the birds that can quickly move about, flying by so graciously.
As a result of such thoughts, I found myself jumping out of a plane at eleven thousand feet and experiencing a peace that I haven’t felt in years. It is however the feelings that begin to set in once back on the ground that leave a fury of soul searching questions and realizations that I was once oblivious to before. Truth be told, many of these realizations began to scare me more than jumping out of a plane could ever do.
I began to feel disappointed in myself at the many times I allowed myself to be distracted by things that in the end don’t matter, this was soon followed by sadness towards all the broken people that are around me and how I want to do so much in helping them achieve the things they dream of. Happiness for the many blessings that I didn’t deserve but received then raced through my being and my dear old friend; Fear joined in on the emotional roller-coaster.
At that moment, I briefly saw a glimpse of what would happen if I never tried to create more good and just let so-called fate dictate who I could be.
The truth is, no matter what fear or disappointment I may experience, that isn’t the end unless I give up and let it be. The people around you and I draw strength from our strength. When we think that no one is paying attention or cares, is the moment they do more than any other. Chances are they may just not know how to connect, because they too fear many of the things that we do.
We have the chance at a time when we’ve become over connected and always plugged in to make a difference on a much larger scale than ever before, yet we get distracted by fears that end up being so small that it is embarrassing.
It’s okay to feel this way, but we must not let ourselves get comfortable in the pits of mediocrity. We must take the leap of faith towards our dreams, and utilize every ounce of strength that we have towards inspiring those around us to do more than what they’ve been told they can do.
We must take a look at the big picture, but also take appreciation for the details that make each life experience unique.
It doesn’t matter where we are in life, all hope isn’t lost just because a few clouds are darkening your day. What does matter is how we respond and pick ourselves back up after we’ve been knocked down.
The scary part of living, at least for me has always been not using my skills for good, and not leaving behind a legacy that inspires others to do great things.
Each day is a new chance, not just for me, but for all of us to see things from a new perspective, and the best part is we don’t have to jump out of a plane to experience it.
No matter how broken we may be, and regardless how much it may seem like the odds are against us, there is hope for healing and success, as long as our focus is always upward, for hanging our heads down in shame and defeat when simply looking up can bring new life into our souls, is a small way in which our lives can be amazing.
It was up to me to decide whether or not I would let fear rule and control me or allow myself to let my focus be always upward.
I chose the latter.
Which will you choose?
