Jump all in feet first!

180 followers

8 years ago

I remember going to the beach for the first time when i was 7 years old. I remember looking out at the ocean with my family and thinking " Wow, this is great, it looks so big. I wonder whats out there". The next thing I knew, my father took me by the hand and walked me closer to the water. I felt the cool mist on my face as the waves crashed up on the shore. Then it happened, I felt the freezing water rush against my feet and I freaked. I couldn't swim at the time and even though i was holding my father's hand, I was still scared and extremely uncomfortable. My father looked down at me, and I'll never forget what he said: " Megan, the world is going to be a lot like this ocean. The waves are the challenges that will constantly come after you and you'll only have 2 options: (1) you can stand on the shoreline and run every time a wave gets too close, or (2) you can rush against it and jump in feet first taking it head on. Now I was a very bright 7 year old but I still didn't quite understand what my father meant. My only concern was getting as far away from the water as i could. However, before I got the chance, my dad picked me up and put me on his shoulders and proceeded to run straight into the water. After the initial shock of cold subsided, and I realized I wasn't dying, I learned how much I really liked being in the water. With a big smile on my face i looked at my dad and all he said was "Do you see what happens when you take a chance? You learn things about them and yourself that standing on the shore could never teach you."

That was the day I not only got my first swimming lesson and learned how much I loved it and to be in the water, but that's also the day I learned not to run away and hide from the world and its challenges. I want to know whats out there beyond the horizon but i'll never know if I don't leave the shore.

That's what this opportunity is to me. Another Ocean that I've never jumped into. Sure, I've gotten my feet wet a time or two but I've never left that shore. Which is why I have nothing to show for it. Yet, being here and exploring as a starter, I realized that this community, to me, is a lot like my father holding my hand on that beach 19 years ago. Still a little nervous but calm enough to know I'm not going to drown. With all the warm welcomes and messages I've received from Kyle & Carson, and the rest of you here already, it was like my dad lifted me up on his shoulders again.

I'm not that 7 year old girl anymore. I'm bigger, stronger, more curious, and more determined than ever before. With all the hands I have to hold here if I need them, I thought, "Why should i just stand on the shore watching everyone else swim and explore this vast ocean when I've been dying to see what else is beyond that horizon as well?" So I did it.....I dove feet first into the ocean of Premium Membership and I'm ready to start swimming deeper into this ocean of opportunity and collect everything I can along the way.

Thanks again everyone for showing me that jumping was ok.....

Here's to all of our success..... Cheers!