By Ashley Comeau
My English teacher from college ends all of his email correspondences with “Leap… and the net appears”. It is a proverb type saying from the Sufi doctrine, and though I may not know much of their practices, these words have inspired many of my decisions.
Upon further research of the quote many people have claimed it to be their own, including American John Burroughs and the Zen Leadership. (What is the Zen Leadership? I thought Zen was about rearranging furniture.) In any case, these words are inspirational and wise and it is no wonder that many people want to be credited with saying them.
Humour me for a second while I deconstruct this adage in a way that illuminates my self worth, okay? After the “leap” there is an ellipsis. What does the “…” mean? The dot dot dot, as it were, is the good stuff. The life stuff. The make-your-heart-swoon, cry-your-eyes-out, lose-a-limb, on-top-of-the-world, mistaken-for-your-twin-sister-in-Tallahassee, bottom-of-the-barrel, world-is-against-you, feel-like-a- million-bucks stuff. It is the goings on that defines our characters.
You can also look at the expression and decipher that if you take a risk and leap, you will be caught safely after your decision, which is so lovely and positive. Disclaimer: Please do not leap literally, especially if it is out of a moving car, high window or if you have weak ankles like myself, I will not be held liable for the literal leapings of women Nationwide. However, leaping metaphorically is just divine.
When one “leaps” they take the essential risk that propels them into a flurry of the unknown, thus garnering them life experience, lessons learned and, in the end, confidence.
Now if you will excuse me, I have to go strengthen my ankles. I’ve got some leaping in Tallahassee to do.
