The Leap

The water is falling, tumbling over the cliff in front of me.  The white foam disappears for a moment on the graceful curve of the water giving way to gravity.  The sunlight catches the mist from the waterfall turning it into a beautiful rainbow.  The sound of water falling and splashing into the deep pool far below is a loud roar in my ears.
I stand on an outcropping of rock on the edge of the large cliff right in the middle of the river.  How did I get here?  I don’t know.  There is a reason for it, I know, but I can’t seem to figure it out.  I glance over the edge of the cliff to see how far the bottom is.  I can’t see it through the mist and the clouds.  I step back slowly, reeling from the immensity of the fall.
My bare foot slips into the cold water.  I pull it out quickly.  There is something about the water that keeps drawing me.  It wants to swallow me and take me over the dreadful depths of the waterfall.  I must resist it.  I cannot fall victim to its wishes.  I do not want to die.
The water is cool and refreshing.  Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to let my feet dangle in it.  No!  I can’t let it draw me in!  I have to fight this desire!  I will not fall over that cliff!  I’ve been down there before.  All it leads to is pain!  I can’t do that again.
Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t.  I wouldn’t survive a second fall.  The first time, I had let the river sweep me off my feet and carry me down over the falls.  This time, I wouldn’t be so naïve.  I will not go over those falls!
The water keeps drawing me.  It promises peace and joy.  It promises refreshment and encouragement.  How can I deny these things?  I must!  I must!  It never fulfills its promises.  It’s just a trap to lure people to their death over the falls.
Why am I standing on this rock in the middle of the river?  Am I here to make a decision?  Am I supposed to fall?  Or am I supposed to stay?  I cannot decide.  The river is calling, but it is such a long way down.  The rock is safer.  I’ll stay here until I can figure out how to get off it without falling.
The hours pass.  The debates continue unabated.  The sun is beating down on my head making me thirsty.  I want to drink from the river, but I know it will only bring me trouble later on.  Once I drink from the river, I won’t be able to resist its call anymore.  I have to resist.
How can I put up with this?  My thirst grows and the water looks more attractive by the second.  NO!  I can’t do that!  I need to resist.
But, if I don’t drink, I’ll soon die.  I need water to survive, and that’s the point.  Survival.  I need to survive.
There’s got to be another way.   The river can’t be the only source of water.  I need to find a way to get off of the rock and find a different source of water.
I’ve tried that already.  I got off the rock and found a muddy stream leading away from the falls.  I drank deeply.  I couldn’t stop.  No matter how often I wanted to stop, I always drank more.
But that brook was better than this river.  That brook wasn’t threatening to drag me over the cliff.  It wanted to take me away from danger.  That’s the best way to go.
No.  The river is my only hope, and I know it.  Why am I arguing?  I know what I need to do, but I don’t want to do it.
But…
No buts.  It’s time to do what I was supposed to do when I got here.  I know the reason for being here.  I have to follow the river.  This time I have to do it, though.  I need to take the initiative.  The river can’t sweep me off my feet this time.  I need to follow, not be dragged.  It’s time to take the leap.
I walk over to the edge of the rock and look down.  I take a step backwards and gulp.  I can’t do it.  My stomach is tossing and turning.  I can’t do it!
I sit back down on the rock and put my head between my knees.  Why can’t I do what I’m supposed to do?  Why can’t I take the leap and follow the river?
I’m so thirsty now, that I have to drink.  I move down to the edge of the river and scoop some water up in my hands.  I lower my head to my hands haltingly and take a small sip of the clear liquid.
What a drink!  The water is so pure and delicious!  How could I have argued against it before?  Compared to this, the muddy stream is as dry as sand and as disgusting as excrement!  I lean down and gulp great draughts of water into my parched mouth.
I stand up, hands and mouth still dripping, and walk to the edge of the cliff once again.  My stomach is tossing and turning again.  What is it that I feel?  Is it anticipation?  I smile at the thought.  It’s time to take the leap.  I won’t be dragged by the current now.  It’s my decision.
I look down at the unending pillar of water.  My mind tries to tell me not to, but I’ve already decided.  I spread my arms and jump.
I’m following the river!  I let out a great yell of joy as the wind rushes past my body.  This is the way to go.  I don’t know if there’s a bottom to this waterfall, but I don’t care.  There is an exhilaration in falling like this that cannot be beaten by any other sensation.  If there is a bottom, great!  If not, even better!  This is life!