Learning to Fly

He who would learn to fly one day must learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying.

~ Friedrich Nietzsche

     Recently, a friend of mine sent me a text message with a photo of several young robins in a nest. "I thought you might like this" read the text. Instantly, a smile spread across my face. Those who know me, know me well. A few days passed and I visited the nest. The chicks' eyes had already opened. How quickly they were growing... I returned a few days later and was shocked when I saw them. They were almost ready to leave the nest. All four of them were crowed into the tiny nest - it almost looked as if they didn't belong there!  I predicted that they would fly on Wednesday, and they ended up flying on Tuesday. I'm sure there was some sort of flying learning curve. You know - emeregency landing, getting to know how the whole flying thing worked. I wish I had been there to witness just how the mother robin handled pushing her chicks into the world... how she convinced them that leaving the safety and comfort of the nest was a good thing.  Did she push them or merely encourage them? Did she sit on a neighboring branch and coach them into taking that first leap of faith? I can't imagine being a bird. What a huge leap of faith... flapping your wings for the first time and realizing that you either get it right on the first run, or you're in for a frightening fall through branches and leaves until you hit the ground! The nest is now empty, and the flight activity to and from the nest has ceased. The neighborhood has four new residents... feathered friends.
     As for humans, we have to learn how to roll over, crawl, cautiously take a few steps, walk and eventually run. We fly into new experiences only after taking the first steps which are required to get you to that point. Some people are content with never leaving the nest, and that's okay. Others try out for every adventure that they encounter, and that leads to plenty of trial and error... crashing and burning... spending plenty of time mending broken wings and bent tail feathers. The majority of us tend to venture into flight when we feel that the time is right. We get some gentle coaching from friends and from family members, but that first step into the unknown has to ultimately be taken by no one but ourselves. There is a learning curve, and sometimes experiences lead to bruised bodies and bruised egos - both of which can mend and teach valuable life lessons. It is important to garner knowledge from each flight. Notice, reflect, apply... enrich your life not just by merely existing, but by always striving to be a better person. Make small changes - they may feel foreign or uncomfortable at first, but before long, the small changes will spread out into your world like ripples from the epicenter of a rock when it hits the surface of the water - starting out small and getting bigger and bigger as they move out from the heart of their journey. May you learn not only to fly, but also to soar.

Learning to Fly: Pink Floyd