Leap of Faith

There is an extra mattress in our bedroom which is used during weekends for the kids to bunk in as they have not yet adjusted to sleeping alone in the next room when the maid is not around.

Usually by the time I’m back from office the next day, the mattress is put back in its usual place, until the next weekend. Yesterday for some reason the mattress was not put back & was still there on the ground.

Everytime the kids walked past it they would take a flying leap into it & have some fun. I warned them against it & told them to go complete their homework. I then went to pick it up & put it back in its proper place. But as I stood in front of it there was this urge to just ……fall like a log on to it..….just like how the kids do.

I took a deep breath, put my hands straight up & tried to fall into the mattress without putting out my hands for support. But try as I might I couldn’t make myself fall. My body just refused to follow what my mind was instructing. I felt like the heroine in “Titanic” standing at the tip of the ship except that my hands were held straight up & no Leonardo DiCaprio to support me through my feat.

Leonardo DiCaprio reminded me of my Better-Half. On the other side of the curtain-drawn room, the object of my thoughts was catching a quick nap. On a sudden suspicion I went up to where he lay & peered closely. His eyes were half-open & he was watching the whole show very interestedly

“Can you do it?” I asked.

“Do what” asks he.

“Just fall like a log onto the mattress…without any support”

“Ofcourse” says he & gets up to show me.

He stands in front of the mattress & I look on worriedly.

“I don’t think you should do it, you already have a bad back….we don’t want to invite problems”

“Oh there’s nothing to this” scoffs husband. “Just stand & fall into it….like this” and he falls heavily into the mattress. He sits up & grins triumphantly.

“No, no, not like that, your knees bent a little & got the support” I insisted.

“No it didnt”

“Yes it did!!”

“Ok then, you show me” says he loftily.

So I stand once again in front of the mattress, hold my hands straight up & chant in my mind “if 89kgs can, 65kgs definitely can”……and let go.

Felt my heart plummet, as I crashed ungracefully into the mattress. Sat up with a whoop…… “Seee, see I did it, I did it!!!!!”

“Your hands came forward to support your fall” he noted.

“No it didnt”

“Yes it did”

“No it didnt” I insisted.

He just raised an eyebrow. “Maybe just a teeny-weeny bit” I agreed.

“I’ll try again” I said, getting off the mattress & standing in front of the mattress again. Another thought occurred & I asked him “Can you fall on your back??”

I immediately turned around & stood now with my back to the mattress & willed myself to fall backwards.

“It’s not that easy. You won’t be able to do it” said Husband.

“Wanna bet????” I challenged.

He didn’t say anything. I stood there for a few seconds with my hands up & realized I wouldn’t let myself fall. Falling on the front was difficult enough but falling on one’s back was impossible. Even the knowledge that there was a plump mattress behind to cushion my fall was not enough for me to let go.

“Mama, what are you doing” asked Nikita curiously.

Without my knowledge Nikita entered the room & was watching me standing with my hands held straight up, trying to muster courage to fall back.

“Oh Mama was just trying touch the ceiling” said Mama pulling back her hands quickly and led the child away from the room before she caught on.

When I came back, the mattress was kept back in its usual place by the Better-Half. I knew he didn’t want me trying any more stunts & inviting trouble & so kept it out of harm’s way. He looked at me expecting some comment.

I shrugged “I always wondered about how I'd react if I was asked to bunjee-jump or sky-dive. Atleast I’m sure now” grinning sheepishly at him.

The matter ended there but the question kept niggling me……

How do the kids do it…….without a second’s thought……………….so easily??????

Can you??????????????????????