The Big Leap

Earlier this week, I tweeted about this new Lacoste advertisement:

Since first seeing the commercial, I’ve watched it about 30 times, shared it with all of my closest friends and downloaded the song featured (“You & Me (feat. Eliza Doolittle) (Flume Remix)” by Disclosure). Initially, I couldn’t explain why I was so captivated with this particular ad. Sure, it is powerful and beautifully composed, but there was something more to it than that; the romantic narrative was sweet, but also not the reason I couldn’t stop thinking about this video after watching.

I realized over time that this feeling of taking “the big leap” doesn’t just apply to relationships. It is an essential part of every crazy dream we have — the fear, the anticipation, the magnificent jump, the free fall, and the landing. Whatever the dream is (a first kiss, a move across the country, telling someone you love them, or accepting a new job) it’s an inexplicable fixation; we see it in our minds when no else can. And when the dream pulls at you hard enough, you know that the choice is clear: it is far better to take the leap than to live your life wondering what would have happened if you had jumped.

The end of the ad leaves us with the message “Life is a beautiful sport.” These conclusive words are what brought the idea full circle for me. Leaping is risky. You aren’t guaranteed a soft landing which is why most of us choose what is safe and what is certain. Why take the chance of getting hurt if we don’t have to? But through these experiences (even the ones where we end up getting hurt) there is beauty. It is what shapes us. We won’t win them all, but I am of the mind that our lives will be richer and our character stronger if we choose to chase the dreams that drive us.

For the first time in a long time, I felt inspired to write. As college draws to an end, I have found myself having to make the decision to leap. It is a scary one, but I am certain it will be worth it.

More to come in the next great adventure, stay tuned.