I discovered my favorite poem back in high school. It was not a romantic Shakespearean sonnet or one of Robert Frost’s idyllic verses, though “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening” is a close runner up in my book. The poem that struck my heart is one often attributed to Guillaume Apollinaire instead of its true author Christopher Logue and one that is misquoted as often as some of movie’s most famous lines.

Finding Yourself in Words

The poem that speaks to me reads simply:

Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It’s too high!
COME TO THE EDGE!
They came
And He pushed
And they flew.

Christopher Logue

The words, monosyllabic and rich in story, are an inspiration. They make me wish I could fly, and they humble me when I let my fears get in the way.

What Are You Afraid Of?

One friend of mine is so deathly afraid of airplanes she has lived within a fixed radius of her home all her life. She seems happy and from all appearances fulfilled, but her sense of adventure is stifled by her fear. She misses out on reunions and trips and opportunities to see the world with her own eyes.

Phobias are very real. The anxiety they trigger sends a rush of adrenaline through the body. The heart pounds. The stomach turns. Sweat tickles the skin and arm hairs stand on end. Before long, a sense of impending doom washes over you. The response is at once intense and visceral. It is no wonder people will do whatever they can to avoid it.

While not everyone has an airplane phobia, many people are afraid to fly in a figurative sense. What is it about taking risks that makes us so afraid to fall? What is it that we are really afraid of?

Are you afraid of the height? Some people have a true fear of heights. They may get tunnel vision when they look down over that “edge”. For others, it is more about the anticipation of what is to come. The higher you climb, the farther you’ll fall but the bigger the reward.

Are you afraid of the drop? Some people get sick on roller coasters — literally. Vertigo, nausea, you name it. They scream because they are truly horrified while others holler for the sheer thrill of it. The drop is the journey, the actual experience that makes us grow. Not everyone is ready to accept the rises and falls.

Are you afraid of the landing? Some people focus on the worst case scenario rather than on what can be gained from an experience. Without reassurances that the end justifies the means or that things are going to play out in their favor, there is fear of losing. What happens to the people who fear but take the leap anyway? They are the ones who get the chance to fly.

Inspiration Is for the Birds

Have you ever watched a bird fly? It is majestic. A hummingbird flaps its wings at such rapid speeds (as fast as 80 times per second!). On the other extreme, a hawk beats their broad wings a few times before gliding effortlessly over cushions of air.

It is a bird’s business to fly. It is in their genetic makeup. Even turkeys find themselves caught up in trees. They may not make it very far but they dare to fly.

If only people could take inspiration from birds. They could direct their energy, maybe not as beating wings but as actions towards their goals. They could go to the edge, bravely facing their challenges. If they could bravely take a leap, they might find the “wings” to soar.

Come to the Edge

Fear holds you back but only if you let it. Only you know what fears are blocking your path in life and only you know why you are afraid. Is it the height, the drop, or the landing? If you don’t know, maybe you have not been completely honest with yourself. A little introspection goes a long way.

What am I afraid of? Not the height. If anything, I aim to climb higher and higher. It’s not the drop either. The ride, take it from this roller coaster junkie, excites me. What I fear most is the landing. I am afraid of letting other people down, afraid of letting myself down by not living up to my own admittedly high expectations. I want to be Wonder Woman, and Wonder Woman should not make mistakes.

Ambition is a tricky beast. It is healthy to want to succeed but there will be failures. All you need to know in life is this secret: the only way to succeed is to do. You will never achieve your goals if you only dream about them.

Come to the edge, she said.

Find out what you want in life, and go and get it. Come to the edge and fly with me.