It occurred to me just yesterday while watching the movie ‘Timer’. People approach success and love in the same way. In the movie ‘Timer’, Oona O’Leary has a blank timer, a device inserted into the wrist that tells exactly when you will meet the love of your life. The only catch is that both people must have a timer, if one of the pair does not, the timer will remain blank.
Due to her blank timer, Oona sets out on a mission to find her one true love, and get him a timer. She comes across a guy who also has a timer, but decides to pursue a relationship with him regardless. The relationship starts with lustful late night rendezvous, but blossom’s into something more. It is at this time when the young man Oona is dating, tells her he is in love with her. She wants a guarantee.
It is this guarantee that is the problem. When jumping out of a plane, you have the guarantee you will return to earth, be it slow or quick. As in life, you have the guarantee one day you will die. There is no guarantee the parachute will open. Just as life holds no guarantee you will be successful. However if you never pull the cord to your parachute, because you are afraid it will not deploy, you are doomed. Castrated by fear.
If we go through life with the fear we may never carry out our goals, be successful, or make happiness. What was the point of putting on a parachute in the first place? We have an opportunity at anytime on our decent to commit and pull the cord. If the chute fails to deploy, nothing has been lost. However, if it does deploy then we are left with a slow decent. One where we can look out over the world below us. We can take our time and enjoy the scenery, appreciate, and admire the world around us. Instead to many of us are fearful. Too many of us choose not to fully commit and pull that cord.
We only have one guarantee. So let us use up anything and everything to stall that deadline. Commit completely.
Mile 29 