Jump into Love (Louis Toliver Jr-Swartz, LA)

“Whoa! That is far down,” I peered over the waterfall fall. We were in Hawaii. Kauai. Na Pali Coast. 11-miles around most of the high land. The trail went around the coast lined with jagged rock. The death tally on a sign was at 63 that year. The waterfall, we discovered, was 2 miles in. “You want to jump?”

“Yes,” he said to me with the hugest look of fearlessness on his face. “This is living! Look how beautiful!”

“We could have gone bungee jumping you know,” I had slight fear of heights.

“Where’s the fun in that? We don’t need a cord. It’s a simple jump in safely deep waters,” he warmed up my shivering body. “What’s stopping you? It’s just me and you. I can handle who you are.”

“It's just that my friends…..” I was interrupted by him. He usually didn’t interrupt me.

“…your friends aren’t here. They only know pieces of you. And, I must remind you that they had the same opportunity as you did to be here.” The warmth of his body was so right for me. “This isn’t for everyone.”

I peered over the waterfall again, at the big picture. It made sense to me. Why should I be sacred? I came this far for a reason. He helped me get here. So, why wouldn’t I just enjoy myself? I grabbed his hand and looked at him. And we jumped down the waterfall into love.

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