For the first time, I'm going to move into Pirates 4 or Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. I have seen the movie twice and of course, love it. It is in theaters now and if you haven't seen it, go see it.
It's good fun.
There is a scene in the movie where Capt. Jack and company arrive at a huge gorge. The options are for everyone to go around, or for Jack to jump, grab the silver goblets they need for the fountain of youth and meet up with the party later. Since they are in the company of Blackbeard, the pirate all pirates fear, Jack doesn't have much of a choice.
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| Jack, Blackbeard and Angelica: To jump or not to jump |
The jump looks to me to be 100-150 ft. Jack looks off the edge and says:
"You know that feeling you get when you're standing in a high place..Sudden urge to jump? I don't have it."
Jack eventually does jump to prevent Angelica (Penelope Cruz as Jack's female mirror image) from taking a leap. She is Blackbeard's daughter and would do anything for her father. Jack of course survives and Bob's you uncle.
There is a place here in Hawaii where I live called oddly enough, End of the World. It is a great place to go cliff jumping The water is clear and deep. In good ocean conditions, I've done it many times. The most common height people jump from is about 30ft. My 17 year old daughter is so fun to go with and really puts some pressure on any boys that are there. She just walks up to the edge and leaps. That's the only way to do it.
Every time I go, I end up treading water for an hour, coaxing and waiting for someone who wants to jump. It has been for both family/friends and people I don't even know. I have observed that almost every time, if a person does the look/ ponder/ look/ step up/ step back/ ponder, they will not jump. Later, they end up kicking themselves because they didn't do it.
So what do I get out of this? Life is full of risk. At times, we have the opportunity to leap into a challenge that will most likely be rewarding but feels a little frightening. My advice? To quote Van Halen, "You might as well jump."
I am not advocating recklessness or poor decision making in a bad situation. There are many of those available in life and only you can determine the risks you will take. But if it fits with your values, doesn't hurt others, and has a proven reward…then push the boundaries a bit and jump. The more you hesitate, the less likely you are to do it. Don't leave life with many regrets. Remember that time can never be regained. Later Mates!
