Falling and Trust
Written in response to this quote:
"To walk, we have to lean forward, lose our balance, and begin to fall. We let go constantly of the previous stability, falling all the time, trusting that we will find a succession of new stabilities with each step." - Robin Skynner
Why did you assume learning to fly would be any different than learning to walk?
I shot a glare at Jareth, who somehow managed to project wry amusement from his impassive owl face.
Pay attention, or you'll pitch right off the ledge again.
Gaaaaah. Damn him, but he was right. Again. I peevishly snapped my beak at him and then raised both wings to the wind currents, trying to feel their warp and weft in my bones.
His exasperation was a hot breath along my neck. Stop trying so hard, and take a step. It's a little fall and nothing more.
Ha! And what happened the last time you mentioned something was "nothing more"? I seem to recall crystals popping like soap bubbles in my hand.
How can I teach you to fly if you don't trust me or yourself?
I silently cursed myself again for making that damned ignorant wish. Learn to fly as a shapeshifter, he said. I'm bound by your wish, he said. It'll be fun, he said.
Really, I should have suspected.
An owl beak nipped me out of my reverie. Sarah. Attend.
Do that again and I'll bite you right back.
Promises, promises.
It was a good thing raven faces didn't show furious blushes. You're a pain in the ass as a teacher, you know?
You're not the first to notice. But you'll be the first to utterly fail to learn to fly if you don't find that trust inside yourself.
I blushed again, for entirely different reasons. I really hate you right now.
Ah, but will you hate me later? I trust not. Especially if you let that avian body do what it was born to.
Fine. You irritating bastard. I stepped off the ledge, with his laughter echoing like feathers in my head.