"Leap and the net shall appear" - (John Burroughs)
I heard this quote during the long hall flight from Manila to the Northeastern United States while killing time watching TV on the flight monitor. In an episode of THE CRAZY ONES, Robin Williams says, "leap and the net shall appear". I had to hit the rewind button several times just so I could hear it over and over somehow feeling the need to embed this quote in my brain ... "LEAP AND THE NET SHALL APPEAR!"
In life as well as in running, I believe there comes a time when we just have to move out of our comfort zone and take that leap. Sometimes “leaping” may require stepping out into the unknown even when things haven’t gone right before and one's faith has been shaken. It is a scary thought and all too often we keep holding ourselves back from even taking that first step but how else would we be able to realize our true potential, our mission or passion in life without taking that leap?
So maybe today or sometime in the near future we should all do ourselves a favor and take that leap. It could mean anything from maybe eating some delicacy that you have never tried before, taking on a different career path, going on an impromptu trip without even booking a hotel reservation, giving your mom that hug that she has long missed, switching from road running to trail running, or perhaps finally signing up for that marathon you have always wanted to run. The beauty about leaps is that it can either be big or small; size does not matter because each leap taken is personal and meaningful only to the leaper.
In the end and whatever we do, there is no need to worry. That net will be there to catch us. Granted it may not be the one that we expected but it will be there and maybe even allow us the chance to see things in a different and better perspective. Now if we should miss it, I believe there will always be another net below it, and another, and another, that is if we are willing to look at setbacks in the right light. One can become a better, happier, more complete and self-actualized person for having taken the risk, no matter what the results. And what we learn and who we become or what we are meant to be by just leaping is in itself the payoff, the ultimate reward. Who knows, by taking that big leap and finally getting our feet off the ground, we may even learn to fly.
“Say your dream is possible and then overcome all inconveniences, ignore all the hassles and take a running leap through the hoop, even if it is in flames. ” -Les Brown
