Greatness sometimes comes naturally, an innate ability that exists from birth. Others have it thrust upon them by chance, other people's designs and happenstance. Yet some achieve it through effort and hard work and taking risks for the reward of greatness.
- G-dog -
It was a sleepy Saturday afternoon, the kind of day in which drinks needed ice, no one moved much and afternoon naps in the hammock felt right. This small Australian country town was like most others; not much was happening.
I was a brownish little dude of eight years old with a strong sense of adventure and growing up in that small town allowed me a little freedom to seek it. We made our own fun back then and parents seemed to be less invasive. We'd often disappear all day only coming home for lunch and dinner and, in between, think up games to play and, invariably, mischief to get into; I found my fair share of it and quite often it ended painfully with injury gained through attempting a crazy stunt or from the punishments I received from attempting a crazy stunt. Strangely, mum and dad weren't as impressed as I was with my adventures.
Anyway, let's delve into a story of my childhood: The great leap of 1978.
"No way you'll make it," the kid said, but I knew he wanted me to attempt it anyway.
"Just because you couldn't, doesn't mean I can't. You just watch." I retorted with a bravado gained through having just beat the kid from home to the creek on our bikes. I felt triumphant after my victory and the little part of my brain that sought adventure and challenge was pushing me to new feats of greatness.
"Go on then dick head, I'll watch as you crack your head open and laugh when you do. You're not going to make it, I bet you."
I'll be the one laughing, I thought to myself, and threw him a withering look of derision.
I looked at the other side of the creek where the steep bank awaited me.
Tufts of grass crowned it and the bank descended steeply to the waterline, low at this time of year. It was hard-packed dirt but I'd be leaping it in a single bound so I didn't put any thought into what damage it could do to my little body.
"Ok, what are you going to give me if I make it? There had to be a bet, there was always a bet.
"I'll let you use my slug gun for a week and if you lose you have to wash my bike for a month." It was a good bet and it was on! There was no way I was passing up that slug gun, besides, I knew I'd make it so there was nothing to lose.
"Deal!"
We shook on it like the adults did and I began to focus. It wouldn't be long until I leapt my way into greatness, glory and that slug gun and as I began to prepare my run-up visions of flying through the air in slow motion swirled through my mind. I was, quite simply, magnificent...or would be when it happened.
My run up went perfectly, I'd cleared away any sticks that may impede my traction or snag my feet, and I accelerated to warp speed.
I was jubilant as the wind caught my hair causing it to trail along behind me like triumphant banners and pennons, my vision closed in so all I could see was the bank I'd soon leap off and the one on which I'd triumphantly land...It was like looking down a tunnel, the vista all around indistinct, just a blur of speed, as I rocketed through knowing greatness awaited me at the other end.
"You're going land in the water!" The kid's words came only as a faint sound lost in the rush of air that surrounded me as I moved faster than any living being had ever moved before. I ignored the kid for the fool he was, my focus was on the leap and the glorious flight that would come after and then the nimble landing as my foot made contact with the other bank and I completed my leap. There was no doubt, it would truly be something to behold.
I jumped.
This was it, my mind spoke silently, glory awaits the bold and courageous, my mind urged. You are a Titan, you have wings, you are glorious, you are...
It wasn't long before I realised I had miscalculated. I was in mid air and falling fast, well-short of the opposite bank.
The creek loomed below me and the bank on the other side seemed a very long way off. I could hear the creek mocking me then realised it was that infernal kid; he knew I wasn't going to make it and had already begun his triumphant hollering and hooting.
My mind raced as I flew, what could I do, how can I reach that bank and how much it this going to hurt, spun in a vortex of confusion, the hope of making it mingled with the horror of knowing I wouldn't.
I extended my leg out in a last-ditch attempt to land my foot on the bank and to my great relief I saw it was going to. There was an element I'd not considered however, my other leg was stretched all the way behind me...and my little coconuts dangled precariously in the middle of both. I know how to tuck and roll now, but at the time it was a concept beyond my eight years of experience. I was in trouble.
My left foot landed, skidded over the top of the bank and kept going. My body's momentum carried me forward but my right leg was well below the top of the bank. I was virtually in a mid-air splits and as my momentum landed me on the edge of that bank my little coconuts took the full brunt of the collision.
I ooofed as the air was forced from my lungs, then made some other noises the English language has no words for. With my momentum at a complete stop and the pain in my long-suffering coconuts radiating into my abdomen I slid slowly into the water, one leg still hooked up on the bank and the other bent backwards submerged. The pain was excruciating and I feared my coconuts might have been pushed all the way into my body; I wouldn't have been surprised if one popped out of each nostril but fortunately that didn't happen.
The great leap of 1978 was an abject failure and no greatness was achieved, just pain. I managed to save my coconuts although, to this day, I'm certain permanent damage was visited upon them in that little town on a lazy summers day. They still work, I've used them a lot, but they never forgave me for failing to achieve creek-leap greatness that day.
I lost the bet, had to wash that kid's bike for a month and never got to take that slug gun home for a week.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default; tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind - galenkp
[All original and proudly AI free.]
Any images in this post are my own.