Encouraging You to Fall

When our children begin to reach walking age, we encourage them to try walking.  We hold their hands and help them stand, we walk with them.  We cheer them on even though we know their first steps will also mean they will fall.

When it is time for our kids to ride a bike, we encourage them, help them and know that not every journey on their bike will be perfect.  They may fall.  They may even get hurt.  We teach them and cheer them on anyway.

When it is time for teenagers to learn to drive, we encourage them.  We teach them the procedures and tricks, we let them practice.  We know that not every driving experience will be perfect.  They will make mistakes or be near someone else who makes mistakes.  Yet, we teach and practice with them anyway.

For all the milestones in our lives, we are willing to try new things knowing we may fall, get hurt or make terrible mistakes.  That possibility doesn't stop us from trying.

Yet, it does.

There are many more opportunities we have in life to try new things, accomplish new goals, and reach new milestones.  How many of those did you avoid because you were scared to fall?  How many dreams are sitting in a box because you are afraid to risk, afraid to make a  mistake, afraid to fail?

We know that little ones will fall when they try to learn walking.  We also know that they will get up, keep trying and eventually succeed.  We know that kids will wobble on their bikes, they may fall, but they will get up and be soaring through the neighborhood before we know it.  We know teenagers will make mistakes driving, they may even hit a tree or two, but they will learn from their mistakes and be better drivers.  

We need to take this knowledge and apply it to the things we aren't so confident about. Trying and falling, attempting and failing is always better than not trying at all.  

The worst that can happen when we go for our dreams is that we might not get them right away, but at least we tried.  Perhaps after we try for our dreams, we learn something new and on the second attempt we get a bit closer.

So here I am, holding your hand, encouraging you to keep walking.  You will probably fall, but after that you will walk then you will run.  The next thing you know you will be encouraging someone else to do the same.  It's okay to fall, it is not okay to not try.