Steps Into the Unknown

My daughter didn't begin walking on her own until she was exactly a year old.  To move around, she'd either hang onto things for support, or crawl.  Not like we didn't try with her, but as soon as we let go she'd go straight to her bum, then crawl her way to discovery. 

On her first birthday she was standing next to the couch, hanging on, when suddenly she became still, almost appearing as if she was listening to something no one else could hear.  Then, she...let...go...and took her first step away from support.  She's been walking by herself ever since.  That should have given me a clue to what life would be like with her.  Actually, the clue was given to me before that while she was in the womb.  She was 3 weeks late.  She has been this way all her life so far, not doing a thing until she is good and ready.

Some of us are like my daughter when making a step into the unknown all by our lonesome.  Some of us are daring, and don't think twice about making that step.  Some of us need a nudge of encouragement.  However, the common element behind it all is we must make the step alone.  Then we must take another step, then another, alone, until we have found the strength to be able to do it without thinking.  Along the way we do have support, yet now it stands beside us, hopefully encouraging us in spirit. 

In anything new we do there comes a time when we must make that first step away to find out if we have it in us to do a thing alone.  We can feel wobbly, scared, hesitant, afraid of falling, but we must do it anyway.  The first few, or even several, attempts may indeed have us falling on our face, or bums.  Yet as a baby does, we need to pick ourselves up and try it again.  If a baby has the courage to take a step into the unknown, and continue on, then why don't we?  The only difference I see between a baby and me is fear.  I have it, the baby doesn't. 

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