Falls For Experience

The experience of the fall is one of the most difficult things to deal with whether it be a literal fall or not, but with each one of these slight wavers I have learned something and have become more courageous. The only thing I have learned from the fall itself is that it hurts, but from getting up I have been able to see my mistakes. From these experiences came new knowledge and respect for the task at hand. By rising from my descents I not only saw where I went wrong, but I was able to correct myself from making the same fall twice. From this first learning experience I could then progress with new knowledge and try again, for it is not from the first or second try that I obtained skill, but from the overall experience that I gained from my journeys. One of the greatest qualities to have is the courage to try more than once or twice, but it is also one of the hardest qualities to gain.

As a new kayaker I faced this somewhat of a fear that lurked in my mind about taming the foaming waters of the Yampa river. For years I had watched the seemingly fearless boaters in the water along its confining banks. How could they stand to have themselves continuosly plunged beneath its frigid depths only to roll back up into the crisp air. This sport seemed ridiculous, but I soon found myself packing myself into one of these narrow and confined plastic bubbles not knowing why I wanted to try this or how I ended up in this predicament. As I tried to keep up with the more experienced boaters I had tipped over time after time and had found myself scrambling under water to find the pull strap in which I could free my neoprene spray skirt from the clutches of my kayak. These swims into the Yampa’s bitter water had brought mental discouragement and sheer frustration upon me. Although, I soon saw that every time I got out of the water I would replay the event in my head and would easily be able to target my exact mistake. I have no idea how or why I kept returning to its shores to fight another round, but I knew that discouragement was temporary and that success was not only soon to follow, but it was also permanent. I knew that if I didn’t get up from my swims and move on my original efforts would have been useless and I would have learned nothing. But I soon had realized that each time I clambered in my kayak I had made it further and further down the river without tipping over. By having the bravery to try twice I soon found that I had the experience that could not have been attained any other way then by feeling the rivers currents, hearing its roar, seeing its power and by tasting its foibles. Through this experience I gained not only the skill, but the respect to navigate the river as a seasoned boater.

By having the courage to move forward from my falls was the hardest concept to comprehend in the midst of frustration, but I found if I could over come my frustration with confidence I would be able to conquer anything.