TRUST FALL..LETTING GO
What does it feel like to stand on the edge, with your back to the ground, and let it all go?
No fear, pure surrender, profound trust
1976, the worst blizzard to hit New York ever. Roads closed.. Schools closed!
Snow Day! I was 10 years old.
Five feet of untouched snow fell in my elementary school yard.
I had an idea!
I called my best friend and said “Let’s go to the school yard and play in the snow”
She said YES!
We got on our snow suits and when we got there, we decided how much fun it would be to jump into it… or fall into it, as it turned out.
We climbed up to the top of the 20-foot school rooftop. We looked over the edge at the most beautiful blanket of white snow we had ever seen.
I had an idea!
“Let’s hold hands and fall back into the snow!”
She said YES!
As we looked over the edge to see how far we’d go, there was a fleeting thought of ‘What if we don’t make it?’
That thought was short lived because our desire of success was much greater than our thoughts of failure.
In our minds there was only one thought. Leaning back, falling and being caught by the snow.
There were no thoughts of “letting go”… for there was nothing to let go of. There was no thought of “surrender”, because there was no concept to surrender to .. There was no idea of “trusting” because we had no reference of distrust.
We allowed, we knew, we were excited and had no fear.
It was a desire, and an abandonment into the moment, and we were certain the snow would catch us.
We held hands, looked forward and leaned back.
The fall seemed timeless, eternal and instantaneous all at once. Like falling with and without gravity.
The moment came as I was cushioned and enveloped within the snow. Silence! The only sound was my own heart beating.
I looked around and saw tall walls of white around me. My hand was empty. I didn’t see or feel my friend.
“Dawn, are you there”? I whispered “Yes, I’m here” she giggled.
The magic, the elation, the indescribable feeling of limitless stayed with us… forever, and I have carried this with me through my life ever since.
