It’s hard to hold onto hope
sometimes, to continue to believe life is good when we see so much evidence to
the contrary. War, unemployment, violence, and even the lack of common civility
can wear us out. Yet this is the time in which we live so it’s important to
look forward and not get dragged down by all the bad news we read on the
Internet and see on the TV.
Personally, I’ve always thought
myself as an optimist, the possessor of the proverbial half full glass rather
than the half empty, but I still sometimes find it hard to be upbeat. And with
my winter goal of sending out query letters to literary agents, my usual
cheerful view somehow became lost despite the warm Florida sun. Each polite
rejection form letter seemed like another weight on my mood and I couldn’t wrap
my psyche around enough positive energy to even write a blog entry. Instead, I resorted
to sitting in the sun, scribbling some attempts at writing poetry and a mystery,
and reading lots of novels.
My mood shift began when I chose a
different route through downtown Fort Pierce and saw an amazing sculpture. A
man high up on a diving board stood poised to dive into a tree filled with
roses.
For the rest of the day I reflected
on the significance of this lovely and intriguing piece of art. Such an
optimistic image, I thought. Imagine viewing a lovely sight of flowers waiting
for you while knowing those beautiful blooms would also hold thorns that might
pierce your joy.
The figure is an average sort, a little thick in the waist,
perhaps past his prime—an older man and one who wouldn’t jump as a younger
person would. No, this man would definitely think before he takes a plunge.
Later, I research the sculpture and
discover it’s entitled, “A Leap of Faith,” by a local artist, Pat Cochran. Commissioned in 2009, the statue illustrates the small quaint
town’s determination to look forward with optimism rather than surrender to the
downturned economy. It’s their symbol for taking a leap of faith by continuing
to support the arts and add culture to the downtown and riverfront areas.
As I reflect about what it means to
take a leap of faith, I realize it’s something we face often in our daily
lives—both big and small decisions require us to do so. Writing and sharing
our thoughts with others involves taking
a leap of faith, a trust that requires moving out of our comfort zone. We sit
down at the keyboard or take a pencil in hand and believe the words will come.
We write our synopsis and query letter and send it off with hope that just
maybe this time, this will be the one that clicks.
Like the man on the diving board, looking out at all the
beautiful albeit possibly hurtful outcomes, without taking that risk, we remain
trapped looking at all the possibilities in our lives. The man stands on the
edge, but somehow, I have no doubt that he intends to “take the plunge.” And
like him, taking that leap of faith doesn’t mean jumping blindly; we, too, must
recognize our choices will entail some lovely flowers, but possibly some
painful outcomes as well.
Here’s a few things that you might
find helpful when you consider taking a leap of faith:
1.
Listen to your inner voice.
2.
Believe in yourself and your
choices.
3.
Seek people who support you.
4.
Face your fears.
5.
Trust you will learn, whatever the
outcome.
Most of all, stay upbeat and when in
doubt, repeat the encouraging words of John Burroughs, “Leap and the net will appear.”
