I felt it.
I felt my heart banging against my rib cage.
I felt my knees shake, and my nerves jumping around inside me.
I heard it.
I heard them arguing over whether i should do it.
I needed it.
I needed to jump.
I closed my eyes.
I launched myself off the jagged edge cliff.
For a moment I felt myself fly.
Then I dropped.
I didn't hit when I thought.
I fell and was still falling when I peeked.
My heart was in my throat.
Crack, I land and nothings broken.
The smack of the water against my skin jolts my nervous system.
I breathe. I'm alive.

They tell you when you fall that it's hard to get back up.
They tell you falling is hard.
I thought in that moment falling off that cliff was the easiest thing to do.
To fall is to realize your own flawed humanity.
Falling makes you realize you're alive, imperfect and afraid of things like everyone else.
When I fell…I realized it was something I'd never actually allowed myself to do
When I fell, I realized what it truly meant to fall.