I Fall - Learning To Take Things In Stride

If you’re not falling, you're not having fun.

One of the beautiful things about DC is that it gets cold in the winter… which means it gets icy… which means people fall. And there are no gracious fallers. I’m not being mean, it applies to me, too. Once I was trying to get up a steep, icy hill to catch a bus. I was in a hurry. By the time I finally made it to the top, I’d fallen twice and was crawling.

I think the beauty of laughing over falling stories is that it’s never a finger-pointing laugh. As long as nobody is seriously hurt, I laugh because I relate. It’s always the moment when we feel like we’re taking life by the reigns, in control, really going somewhere that we get a little reminder: there’s a step there.

I already shared my story of falling down the steps of the Supreme Court, and about how I’m Not Cool. That’s not what this is about. This is about celebrating falling because it makes people laugh. And laughter is vital. Heather Zempel just posted a slew of falling stories, and my roommate Jenilee LeFors and I have decided to join in step. Because if you can’t laugh at yourself and each other… well then the joke is on you.

Jenilee first came to DC as protégé for NCC. Much to Heather’s chagrin, I brought her to the office a day early. We wound up staying after work late talking about young leadership, being a woman in ministry, and passion for Christ and the church. We were finding a lot in common and I think we all left genuinely encouraged and challenged. It was about 10:30pm when we left the office.

My apartment was about a 25-minute walk from the metro. Jenilee and I had two options: take the metro all the way to Ballston and walk 25 minutes in the dark. Or, get off at Rosslyn and take a bus that dropped us off at our front door. The preferable bus option left exactly 7 minutes to get from Union Station to Rosslyn. Albeit the infrequency of trains at 10:30pm on a weeknight, we managed to make it to Rosslyn with two minutes to climb two escalators. We ran for it.

At the top of the first escalator, I began to lose balance and was unable to recover. I fell, no slid (maybe flew) on my stomach for about 5 feet. My hands and feet spread out for balance though balance was unachievable. My bag flung around my shoulder and landed several feet in front of me.

My thought process went a little like this: Oh no, I’m going to fall. Before that thought could be completed… Shoot, I just bought this light-khaki bag and I don’t want to get it dirty. Must not drop. Next thought… this is going to be embarrassing. Before that thought ended… who cares what people think or the bag. This is too funny.

Mid way through the fall I lost control of the bag. We missed the bus. I’m pretty sure we got a taxi, and we had a good laugh.

Within the next year, Jenilee tripped over a bunch of trampolines at Catalyst and Heather tumbled down the steps of the Lincoln memorial. I’m in good company, and I’m thankful for friends who will laugh with me. I think there is a theory that you tend to attract those of your own kind.

So here’s my question to you: when was the last time you laughed at yourself for doing something ridiculously stupid? If you cannot remember, that is a bad sign. If you can, please leave the story below :)

For more fun falling stories, check out Will Johnston's blog.