One small step... and a leap into the unknown

Today was one of my 'bad seeing days', but the skies were blue, the sun was shining and I longed to go for a walk, so I went anyway. No big problem, I know the area, its just - you know, there's that, apprehension. All went well so I decided to climb the stile and cut across the fields, much prettier than the road way. The stile was one of those high, two-steps over a fence variety, which was fine until I got my leg over and found only the top step. I froze. You may think , "aw, for goodness sake its a stile - how far can it be. You've just come up the other side. But I glanced down into the shadows and couldn't see the bottom. Silly! Common sense told me, its what, 3ft at the very most. It can't kill you, the worst that could happen is you stumble on a stone or gnarled root and twist an ankle. But I stood on that top step and couldn't make that final little leap .

Have you seen that old movie, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"? Classic part in it where they're at a dead end up a mountain, the possie is behind them, a breath-taking drop into the river in front. Its jump - or die fighting. Sundance won't jump.
"No! I won't do it..."
"Why?"
"I can't swim!"
Laughter from Butch. "Are you kidding? The fall will probably kill you."
Sundance jumps. "Ssssshhhhiiiiiiiiittt!!!!"

I know, I'm nuts and there is no comparison, but as I took that step inwardly screaming "Geronimo!" (don't ask :p) in that moment, I was Sundance leaping into the void - into the unknown. My heart leaped into my throat and it was scary, and yet, exhilarating too. In that moment, that millisecond I'd overcome a fear; a small one, but it felt good, as if I had won a battle. And that's what got me thinking...

How many times in life have we turned left instead of right to avoid something, not climbed an awkward flight of steps to look down upon the ocean, stayed up another couple of hours to watch the dawn, let words go unspoken, simply because of the inconvenience or that we are afraid of a few stones; of being hurt. And how many times have we regretted it? Just wondered. I guess we should neveer take the easy way, that we should take the one that makes our heart skip a beat; to feel life, even if it is for the briefest of moments.
As Butch said..
"It's the only way to go!"