Today I want to talk about the luxury of falling.
I know what you’re thinking: That sounds scary, not like a luxury. But having the peace of mind to allow yourself the option of falling”believing in a project so much that you’re willing to let it take on a life of its own”is something rare. It’s not often that those jobs come along. They’re worth losing control over.
People too often relate falling with failing, but there are many positives. It’s like a rush of adrenaline”the feeling of jumping off a 30-foot cliff into a dark blue sea. You don’t know how long it’s going to take you to hit the water, and you don’t know when your toes will touch the bottom, if they do at all.
It’s also the way a baby must feel when his dad tosses him into the air and catches him”or the way it feels to cannonball into the Pacific Ocean from the side of the boat. It’s terror and joy all at once. It’s also strangely calming. It focuses the mind.
I’m not afraid of falling. I know the unexpected always happens, no matter how well you plan. On more than one occasion, I’ve had a horse wander into a shot right when the sun is sinking below the horizon, or watched fog roll in just when I needed some moody atmosphere. Those unexpected moments are usually when we capture something truly authentic. There’s not much more magical or luxurious than that.
So here’s to embracing falling”and finding the thrills we’re looking for on the way down.