A Leap into the Unknown...

Every once in a while, we are faced with moments that flip our entire world on its axis.

Tiny, unforgettable fragments on the timeline of our existence, that promise to alter our very existence at its core. And all at once, everything you thought you knew, every scrap of stability and direction and ideology you possessed, is cast into darkness and doubt.

For you see, you are no longer the version of you that you once were.

In that moment you are thrown into a whole different environment, where everything you once knew crumbles into disregard. Like a child, you find yourself lost in a cornucopia of confusion, forced to learn all you once knew from scratch, in a world that feels entirely alien.

Colours, sights, sounds, tastes and smells - they all feel brand new again as they adapt and adjust to this evolved version of you. All the things you used to believe, the ideas and opinions you used to know, and even the values you held dear, they're shaken to disrepute.

It's one of the scariest experiences you will ever experience.

Like walking up to the edge of a cliff face and staring down at the ground thousands of feet below. It's a beautiful sight, but right when you should turn around and walk away, you slip and fall. Flailing helplessly through the air towards the ever-impending ground below.

All you can do is hope, with every shred of your very soul, that somebody will be waiting at the bottom to catch you. And if they do, you pray they're strong enough to hold onto you.

But - and that is a very significant but - by no means does it mean that falling is a bad thing.

Yes, it's scary. And yes, you face a life-altering descent into the unknown. And yes, it means coming to terms with this new world of experience, of learning everything anew. And yes, there's a good chance it's going to end in pain and heartbreak.

But by god, it can be worth it.

This is how it felt when I fell in love.

This is how it feels to meet someone who, in an instant, changes everything you thought you once knew. This is how it feels to find that one person who, out of nowhere, takes over your world. This is how it feels to know, deep in your heart, things will never be the same again.

And, all of a sudden, all that fear of the unknown, turns into so much more.

The very air you breathe becomes charged with this uncontrollable, inexplicable, undeniable, energy that surges through your body and invigorates every nerve. You feel somehow lighter, like you could float away into the skyline with simply the slightest breeze.

Everything you believed about love feels like a lie, a watered down version of the truth. Because this is nothing like you expected or thought you knew. It's so much better.

Without even looking for or expecting it, I found someone who broke every rule and misconception I had. Someone who makes my days a little brighter, makes my heart beat a little faster, makes my smile a little wider, and who makes me feel normal, and at the same time entirely special.

I found someone who gives me butterflies just by the sound of their voice, who makes my heart jolt when they grin, and who makes me at home in their arms. Someone who knocked down all my walls and defences, who got under my skin and in my veins and stole my heart.

I wasn't ready for it, for any of it. And it's not going to be a fairy-tale romance I thought love would be. It's not the perfect, pretty, picturesque love that falls into your lap and you both live happily ever after.

It's going to be an adventure, with twists and turns, trials and tribulations. We'll have to work for our love, to make an effort to keep it. It's going to be hard at times, and it will probably sometimes hurt too.

But in all honesty, that's okay, because I wouldn't want it any other way.

I'd rather take a risk, no matter how scary, and leap into the unknown. For a love that makes me feel alive, and a girl who sets the world on fire. Rather than sitting on the edge of the cliff face, looking at all the beauty and splendour of what could be, if only I were brave enough to take the leap.

So, here's so hoping she's going to catch me.

Thanks for reading, over and out...