The Upside of Falling Down

by Rebekah Crane

No matter what people want to believe, life is locked in the past. It’s all we are—a timeline of events that make up a person.

If you’re going to be lost, there’s no friendlier place to get lost in than Ireland.”

What is the point of cheating death if a life doesn’t exist when you wake up?

I take a deep breath. Ireland smells like rain and sunshine blended together.

When everyone in the world is a stranger, who am I supposed to trust?

Living in a state of chaos only makes a person want to hold on tighter.

if we told the truth all the time, there would be no stories worth telling.”

“The problem with bumps is when you don’t see them coming . . . you inevitably stumble, and you usually fall.”

When a person gets used to failure, it becomes much less scary. A person will walk into fire, knowing full well she’ll get burned, but it doesn’t hurt as much. When you’re prepared for pain, pain loses power.

“That’s the thing with fear—conquer it, and you find freedom.”

That’s the truth about lies—when they linger, they slowly trick you into believing they’re the truth.

“You can’t be overwhelmed by the what-ifs, or you’ll miss out on the best part.”

My only option is to surrender. Stop fighting. It’s actually quite peaceful. To untangle fear and let it drift away. I begin just to float. The water only fights back when threatened, and I’m too tired to fight. I have to let go. Is this the upside of falling down?

I’d set out to find a way home, but what I’m finding is that maybe home isn’t where I thought it was.

This is the upside to crashing: madly letting go and giving yourself to someone else. This is the freedom beyond the fear.

Sometimes what we thought we’d never want becomes the only thing we desperately need.”

“It’s never the end. Even when you think your life is over, a new story line appears.”

When you’re floating, it’s impossible to fall.

“Surprises make the story interesting.”

“Just when you think your life is over, a new story line falls from the sky and lands right in your lap.”