Something Ventured

Adam had another meet.

Of course he did.

But this one was just minutes from home, and there was only one other school competing, a considerable improvement over the 19-school, hour-away meet-a-thon-o-rama-saurus.

He took second in both his races.

Small pond, you know.  But mama was still proud.

(Jonah is that little kid you see out in public and have to stare at.  This is his "Sup-heeyo" (Superhero) suit, and a lovely sword he found on the ground.  Yes, he makes sound effects and battles invisible foes)

When Adam went over to the long jump pit to jump, he realized he had gone over too late to get a practice run in so he could pace out his "steps" to determine where he should begin his run.

"I'm not going to jump today," he said.

"Aw!" I whined.  "But I loooove to see you jump!"

(also, between you and me, I love the fact that he falls into a big soft pit of fluffy sand, rather than getting all twisted up on giant, deadly, solid iron, spike-encrusted hurdles).

"I don't know..." he said, now feeling conflicted.

"Do what you feel is right son.  I don't want you to have a bad experience.  I just love to watch you."

"But I haven't paced my steps and so I'll probably scratch on every jump."

"Well, that's true.  But what if you don't scratch?  What if you have a really good jump?  Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

"Okay," he smiled after a moment, "I'll go for it."

He jumped twice, scratching on the second jump.  They closed the pit, so he ran out of time for his last two jumps.  Jumping is funny that way.  You snooze, you lose.

Also, jumping is not like racing, where you see the winner cross the finish line and you know the outcome of the event right away.  It was two days before Adam saw the results posted on the school's website.

"Hey, Mom, they posted the long jump results..."

Adam smiled at me as he walked through the room, stalling for suspense.

"I got first place."

First place by 2 inches.

  It was a foot and 8 inches short of his best jump last year, so he knows he can do even better.  

***

It's true that we might fail at things we try, but if we don't try at all, we will fail, guaranteed.

Yes, we might fail at things we try,

but what if we don't?

What if this time is the time we will succeed?

Makes me wanna go jump into something.