Experience matters. It offers reference, guidance and judgement necessary for us to navigate life. Yet, there is a first for everything. To build that experience, we must start somewhere: a first date, a first job, a first risk. The list is as vast and varied as the world itself.
We rarely get a second chance to make a first impression, and those “first” experiences leave indelible marks in our psyche. Such influence is often long-lasting, dictating our path before we even recognize it. Meanwhile, growth requires us to step forward toward the unknown, much like the figures in Guillaume Apollinaire’s famous lines:
“Come to the edge,” he said.
“We can’t, we’re afraid!” they responded.
“Come to the edge,” he said.
“We can’t, We will fall!” they responded.
“Come to the edge,” he said.
And so they came.
And he pushed them.
And they flew.”
My first experiences weren’t always graceful, and many were borne out of a push that I did not think I was ready for. But more often than not they made a difference. As I look forward to the final days of this year, I’m not winding down–I’m leaning in. Because it’s only at the edge that we discover we were meant to fly.
Are you ready to take that leap?
Running with Buddha 