Who Thought A Simple Jump Could Be So Complicated?

I thought I would walk up to the bridge, have a couple of people tie the rope around my legs, dive gracefully like a bird from the ledge, land on a boat and emerge victorious from the experience.

What happened was just a tad different. The day we were booked to go, it was raining—somewhere between a drizzle and a downpour—enough that if you are standing outside, you will get wet in ten to fifteen minutes. But it was cold, around ten degrees Celsius, which made it miserable. My brother and I were determined to do bungy jumping. The rest of the family came as an audience or, in my parents’ case, to watch their two kids jump off a bridge.

My mom’s comment was the best - she said, “These two have played so many games as kids. I do not understand why they have to play this game now?” It shows how you never grow up for your parents - my mom still thinks we play games. This comment makes my heart tickle every time I say it. Anyways, back to the event.

I was nervous and told my brother that—he had always been the less dramatic. He answered, “You go to the bridge, jump, and then come back.” Our respective spouses were assigned photo duty, and the kiddos were there because they had nowhere else to be.

We were weighed, given our ticket numbers, etc., and we walked to the bridge when we were called. I was wearing my slip-on shoes, which they said I should remove as they would fall off. Imagine it is wet and cold, and now I will wear wet socks. Anyway what was I going to do - so I left my shoes and went to the station. The crew couldn’t be friendlier - one of them commented that I could not have chosen a better day to jump, and I told him I wanted to have what he was having. The guy before me jumped feet first - and their advice was to jump head first as if I was falling.

Since we were jumping off a bridge, the idea was that you would touch the water or, even better, get your head in water. I just wanted to jump, so I had no interest in touching the water, so they told me to jump farther off from the ledge so there would be minimal contact with the water.

Now, it’s my turn. I shuffle to the edge of the ledge as my feet are tied. I see the river underneath me and nothing to hold me. My mind is like - ‘This is crazy.’ The crew guy said - ready. I looked at him and said, ‘I just jump?’ He is obviously experienced, so he took my hand off the pole I held and said - I will count, and at 1, you jump. I remember that moment when I told myself that no matter how crazy it feels, looks, or sounds, I would do it. I stretched my arms and jumped.

The first few seconds were exhilarating once I realized I was flying, but before that sunk in, my head was in the water—and I saw water all around me. And it was so cold - my god, it was freezing. And then I was above it swinging, which was also lovely. And then I saw the pole on the boat to bring me down. After that, I landed on the ship and returned after watching my brother do a graceful dive.

My nieces were the best audience—they told me I was great and landed like a starfish. For the rest of the evening, I could not overcome the fact that I had been dunked into the water. The three-second flying experience stays with me, and I will do it again just for that.

That was my first bungy jumping experience with my brother, which made it even more special. And with the rain, cold, and dunking in water, I got more bragging rights, right? Now, back to daily life - still trying to find my footing and in no hurry to find it.

I think the three—to five-second flight was worth the fifteen minutes of the ordeal—how about you?