PHOTOGRAPHY | MOTION

I Believe I Can Fly

Success requires many practices and failures

Why do I cringe when others are having fun? Because what they are doing looks painful.

During our walk through a quiet, open corridor the other day, we stopped to watch two young men practicing skateboard jumps down the stairs. It takes true courage to do these stunts.

But as soon as the skateboard touched the concrete, they’d crumple to the ground, rolling like ragdolls. I gasped before I could stop it. I felt a twinge of embarrassment as they bounced up with grins.

After a few tumbles, one young man finally stuck a landing, feet firmly planted on the board. The onlookers erupted in cheers.

This young man in the red shirt, though, kept falling off his board. I could hear the thudding sound of his body hitting the ground. Finally, he declared, “This is my last try!”

My palms were sweaty as I watched his final jump, silently praying for a perfect landing.

Alas, he fell again. I looked at him with a mix of sympathy, pity, regret, and other emotions I couldn’t quite name.

But to our astonishment, he snatched up his board and walked back up the stairs. He wasn’t done.

This time, he skated towards us at his usual lightning speed, but as he neared the top of the stairs, he slowed his momentum. Not an expert in skateboarding, or anything with wheels for that matter, I wasn’t sure if he’d call it quits.

When I was still processing, he leaped into the air stretching his arms out like an eagle. A perfect 10! He landed, feet clicked to the board, and rode on. We all cheered at the top of our lungs.

Ecstatic, he tossed his cap to the sky, ran around like a champion, and gave everyone a high-five with a “thank you”.

Even though he didn’t land every jump that day, he was still a champion. He put his whole heart and energy into each attempt with a smile, leaned in, and embraced his falls. And that’s what truly matters.

Thanks for reading.