I stood on the top of what felt like the highest tree in the forest in Drakensberg, posed to jump off, and fly my way through the air on the zip line. “Why on earth did I agree to do this?” I asked myself? My daughter stood behind me and after her was my “surrogate” daughter and ex mentee. One of the statements I had said to them a while ago was “Attempt to do something you have never done before at least once a year”. Challenging and brave words which I now found I had to live up to! It was no coincidence that I was in the lead of our three ladies group.
Another group of four young women also joined us and one of them went ahead of me. She reached the very shaky ladder placed on what appeared to be a flimsy net. We had to climb up to get to the top of the tree. She paused unable to jump off and I encouraged her with the words “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” She had been praying earlier on “Jesus help!” Off she went soaring and whizzing through the air laughing. It was my turn and I launched myself off the edge of the platform surrounding the tree. What an adrenalin rush and so exhilarating.
When I got stuck trying to haul myself up and attach my safety harness, my grandchildren and husband would shout “go nana, go! You can do it.” There was no opportunity to stall or to consider aborting. Like the Nike advert says “Just do it!” No procrastination possible in this scenario.
I overcame a fear that day. I achieved something I once thought was impossible and, I knew that the more I depended and relied on God, the more I could do the impossible. I love what Nicky Gumble says “The God centered life is a life of childlike dependence on Him. Children are instinctively driven to explore and discover. They neither dwell in the past nor settle for the present, but look forward with an unquenchable curiosity, to the future, fueled by wonder and an immense capacity for enjoyment.” At the age of fifty eight I was experiencing new depths of fun and enjoyment becoming childlike and connecting to my inner child. I jumped on the trampoline with my grandson, swung with my granddaughter on the swing and ran running races with them exploring their world of fun and adventure.
Life is so intense and serious. We need to savour every moment we have been given by our God and learn as the bible says “To be like a child” in so many ways. Society imposes on us adults so many limitations and restrictions constantly demanding us to conform to its values and standards. What’s next for me? Well just maybe para gliding or going up in a hot air balloon?! When was the last time you truly felt free to soar? When was the last time you connected with your inner child? When was the last time you did something for the first time?
Go on “I dare you to!”
