These days, there isn’t much I can do to feel genuinely embarrassed. Of course unexpected situations happen — you trip and drop food in the caf, you fall off your bike in front of your crush, or you wave at someone who is waving at the person behind you. All of these have happened to me. However, I think learning how to laugh these off is something I have embraced. Each of these moments, whether we care to admit it or not, has happened to us all. I learned best how to brush it off when I lept off the cliffs at Heber Springs.
There was no better way to end my freshman year than being asked to a function. It was the day before Dead Week began, and it was going to be packed with fun. Tons of my close gal pals and guy friends were packed into a car to go to one of the most iconic functions at Heber Springs. Having never been to the cliffs before, I wasn’t really sure of their height or how safe it was to jump.
I don’t have a fear of heights or water, but cliffs like these were something I had never conquered. From the time I was asked to the function, I started to build up the courage with a couple of friends to jump.
After many attempts to pull me out to the cliffs, I made my way out to watch some friends show off their bravery. I decided I wasn’t going to go in, but was soon influenced by those around me to just give it one try.
It only takes one time.
I clasped hands with a friend, and after a few trial runs, I finally made the leap. But when I hit the water, I knew something wasn’t right. Immediately my tailbone started throbbing, and I needed help climbing back up to the top of the cliffs from the water.
The next day, with an X-ray and doctor’s appointment to confirm, I learned my tailbone had been fractured from hitting the water.
For the last two weeks of school, which require a lot of sitting to study and take tests, I carried around a bright red, innertube-looking “bum pillow” to chapel, class, restaurants, the library and wherever else I had to go. I was so embarrassed every time I told the story, and I definitely didn’t want to carry around my personal innertube.
Through it all, I learned to laugh at myself and accept that what happened, happened. I had to laugh at my situation, even if it did hurt a little, because laughing made the situation better. My suggestion? Learn to laugh at yourself faster than I did. Don’t wait for the end of freshman year. Start now.
Your most embarrassing story may bring someone to tears with laughter — laughter they need. It could brighten someone’s day. Now I love telling this story because it brings smiles to people’s faces. Yes, go jump off the cliffs at Heber Springs, but please jump in as straight as a pencil… Otherwise it might be you sitting in stand up, sit down chapel because it’s too painful to participate.