One of the most life-affirmative lessons that I have learnt so far is to look at life as a series of falls. A person falls only when life is running smooth - there is a comfort and subtle complacency in his energy levels. Because that is when a disturbing stimulus permeates the being and sweeps away the comfort of his existence.
Let us take the analogy of horse-riding; My first fall from the horse-back was effected by Hans (a notorious horse), who was smart enough to understand when I had started trusting him a bit too much and used the apt moment to push me off - leading me into a parabolic path that seemed to touch the stratosphere.
Now what came naturally to me then and seems to be of analytical interest now, is my reaction immediately after the fall.
When I realised that I was lying on the ground, I could see Hans dancing around, kicking randomly and running across the ground. So I just quietly got up, checked for broken bones/ribs, when I found none - I shouted to the Instructor to get me another horse. It was evident to him and to me that Hans had gone mad, so he got me another horse.In that window of 5minutes, before I got on another horse - I just knew one thing - That if I don't climb a horse immediately, the fear of the fall might seep in - and then it would be impossible to ride a horse again. I rode again, and made sure that in every other class - I took Hans and tame him to the extent that he behaves like a mule when I am around. But the fall made me learn - that no matter how strong you are, never think that you are stronger than the animal beneath you - because the moment you think like that, complacency comes and another potentially back-breaking fall becomes inevitable.
Life is like a journey where one just moves one from one fall to another, just to enjoy the challenge of getting up. These are the people who live dangerously - some people call them fighters, some see them as incorrigible losers. But for those who keep challenging themselves, nothing is more consuming than testing one's own limits and using the moments of fall as growth stimuli.
Getting up from a fall is a major transition, this process allows one to grow as a person but there is a real risk that he might not - that he may choose comfort against freedom, fear against fearless devotion to life and arrogance against submission. It is here that wisdom is important.
