I had a friend who hang glided. She went through the air all by herself and all alone, feeling the ups and downs by herself without any support. Her feet dangled in midair and didn't have any firm ground to stand upon. The wind would push her up and she would feel joy but had no one to share it with. When the wind blew her down and forced her into the bellows just above the ground but no quite all the way down, no one was there to pull her up to safety. She had to regain her strength, she had to use everything in her bones, in her heart, in her muscles, in her mind to get up. She used up all her recourses just to survive. When she was finally level she appeared to be safe again but she had nothing left to keep herself up any longer. She was tired. There was great sadness in this for those watching. No one wanted her to fall again but she was too high up to realize this. No one wanted her to be alone on this journey, in the highs and lows but the wind was blowing her around too much and she couldn't regain control of the glider and just didn't know that the sadness, just below her was there. The wind kept pushing and pushing and she was unable to fly higher. She was unable to see the people below, they looked so small and unimportant. The people appeared to be miniscule, so small that they couldn't possilbly help. The truth was, they couldn't. They could only watch with great sadness the glider twist, turn, shoot up and down and nearly crash. They could share their insights,offer help but the glider was too high up and she couldn't hear the words of wisdom and love. Eventually the glider was out of their sight and no matter how much they wanted to save the glider and help her fly higher and soar above the clouds they couldn't. They only wanted a successful, joyful journey for the glider and rider.
It could have been an easier ride if she had looked down instead of struggling to stay in the air. To look down and see the people ready to offer support, encouragement, love. Looking down was scary and would have taken a lot for the glider to do. This would have caused her to release control of the glider and allow someone else to take hold and reign in the ups and downs, the air flow, the currents. It would have taken trust and committment, something she wasn't used to. Something she had never really had before--someone else helping and encouraging, trusting and loving. Someone with only the best interest's of the glider in mind. This was something foreign to the glider and almost mistrusting. All her life the glider had been in control, all the ups and downs were hers and hers alone. To give up that regardless of how much easier and joyful the journey could be was not a pleasant thought. But all she had to do was look down and she could have flown higher.
Challenge--who are you? The glider or the one trying to help?
It could have been an easier ride if she had looked down instead of struggling to stay in the air. To look down and see the people ready to offer support, encouragement, love. Looking down was scary and would have taken a lot for the glider to do. This would have caused her to release control of the glider and allow someone else to take hold and reign in the ups and downs, the air flow, the currents. It would have taken trust and committment, something she wasn't used to. Something she had never really had before--someone else helping and encouraging, trusting and loving. Someone with only the best interest's of the glider in mind. This was something foreign to the glider and almost mistrusting. All her life the glider had been in control, all the ups and downs were hers and hers alone. To give up that regardless of how much easier and joyful the journey could be was not a pleasant thought. But all she had to do was look down and she could have flown higher.
Challenge--who are you? The glider or the one trying to help?
