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Here's a great illustration from Sarah Pekkanen's book "The Opposite of Me." (Note: It's a great summer book club selection. Select it. She's my neighbor, too.)
" 'When I was nine, I was terrified of the high diving board at my pool. One day I got to the pool right when it opened. I was the only one there except for a couple of lifeguards, who were flirting with each other and not paying any attention. I still remember how it felt when my toes gripped those cold metal stairs as I climbed that ladder. I must've stood there for fifteen minutes, just staring down at the water that seemed impossibly far away. And then I took one step forward. On tiny step into the air.'
'Was it scary?' I asked her.
'It was the easiest thing in the world.' May said. 'All I had to do was let gravity take over. Nature knew exactly what to do, once I got out of its way and let things unfold as they were meant to. The fear was almost impossible to bear, but actually doing it was easy.' " (Page 250, 251)
Knowing that I don't have to (or can't) control my life, my husband's life, my children's lives, etc, has been one of the most liberating truths I've encountered.
2 comments:
I love that metaphor, Emily. I was SO sorry to miss on Wednesday; our car got a tear in the front tire and I was at the car shop.
As always, a gorgeous photograph; I want to go out West so badly after looking at it:).
My most recent homework assignment was on existential therapy. Two main concepts in existential therapy are death and the notion that humans are the authors of their own lives. Hmm... humans author their own lives? For some, it could be motivating. And I suppose you have to play an active role in your life. But, shoot, I don't want the pressure of authoring my own life! What's liberating in that? I prefer to think I'm not in complete control; someone else has my back :).
PS great pic of Elo.
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