Life is Like Flying a Kite

The worst thing one can do is to not try, to be aware of what one wants and not give in to it, to spend years in silent hurt wondering if something would have materialized – never knowing. – Jim Rohn

by Neissa Springmann

There’s no doubt that March has come in like a roaring lion here in Austin, making for ideal kite flying conditions. So, this morning my son and I did just that — flew a Spiderman kite. As the winds whipped, Spidey enjoyed several joy rides. He soared right, left, up, down and even found himself in a tree (a time or twelve). There were also plenty of times when he took sharp nose dives into the ground, at which we’d pick him up, throw him into the air and try again. It was during our many failed attempts to have Spiderman fly for an extended and uninterrupted amount of time that I began to see the parallels between life and flying a kite.

Life is like flying a kite. We can wait for the perfect conditions to pursue life-long desires, dreams, interests or to simply try something new, however there will always be extreme winds that temporarily throw us off course and even into the ground. We will also experience times of no wind at all, leaving us with little hope that the ideal opportunity will arise for us to fly. The truth is that as long as we are living, flying is a possibility, a choice that we get to make. We can embrace and even appreciate the sharp and unexpected turns and know that they are part of the ebb and flow process, or, we can allow the nose dives to harden our hearts, leaving us with the ongoing and defeated question of ‘what might have been?’ Either way, it is a choice, it is yours, and that’s the good news.

I leave you with this simple yet profound poem. I hope you choose to fly!

“I never can do it,” the little kite said,
as he looked around at the others high over his head.
“I know I should fall if I try to fly.”
“Try,” said the big kite, “only try!
Or I fear you never will learn at all.”
But the little kite said, “I’m afraid I’ll fall.”
The big kite nodded: “Ah well, goodbye:
I’m off,” and he rose toward the tranquil sky.
Then the little kite’s paper stirred at the sky.
And trembling he shook himself free for flight.
First whirling and frightened, then braver grown,
up, up he rose through the air alone,
till the big kite looking down could see,
the little one rising steadily.
Then how the little kite thrilled with pride,
as he sailed with the big kite, side by side!
While far below he could see the ground,
and the boys like small spots, moving around.
They rested high in the quiet air,
and only the birds and the clouds were there.
“Oh, how happy I am!” the little kite cried,
“And all because I was brave and tried.”

Author Unknown