Leap of Faith

What would convince me to jump from a small platform 45 feet in the air? The fact that a bunch of my students were on the ground holding the rope in case I didn't reach the trapeze bar? Were any of them upset about grades? Now was their chance. But a group of about 20 of our philosophy majors went out to Tilikum for a retreat last weekend and this was part of what we did.

I did in fact miss the bar--though I got one hand on it--and they did in fact catch me before I hit the ground. But come to think of it, they also said 'farther, farther' when I asked them how far out I should ask to have the bar moved away from my little platform. But I did, and do, trust them--even if I may not have evidence to prove it. After hanging out in the woods with them all weekend, in fact, I trust them all the more. It is such a good thing to be out in God's beauty--it quickly convinces me that we are not as separate from the rest of creation as we modern folk pretend to be. And being out there with other people is a great way to realize that we are not as separated from other people as we modern folk pretend to be. Thanks to Tilikum for helping us to have that opportunity!