The Abdurdity And Necessity Of Wings (Or At Least Leaping...)

I remember reading in a History class in Year 10, of a man who looked at the birds flying and thought to himself (of course I am not sure exactly what he thought as I was not there, but I am sure it went something like...) 'I want to fly also..' So he designed for himself a set of wings, each nearly 2m in length made up of wood, cloth and assorted materials. He then walked to the top of the nearest cliff, some 200m in height, and proceeded to leap (or fly) off of the cliff. Of course in Hollywood this man would have soared and glided to a perfect landing, following which he would have flicked his golden hair and smiled with his chiseled jaw. But this world, this life is not Hollywood...he died. In a moment or day of apparent absurdity, in a feeling of envy and jealousy for the possession of wings, this man risked life and limb for the chance of flight. I remember laughing at this man in High School. But as I stand on the edge of a cliff of sorts, I do not laugh at this man anymore, I envy this man. Laughter is often a mask for regret and apathy. No one ever got the girl by laughing at the other men who fell awkwardly on their faces, its the men with home-made wings, jumping off cliffs who get the girl. No one ever killed a dragon, climbed a mountain, saved a damsel, fought a giant or learned to love again by laughing at the man with home-made wings. Because the people laughing are generally the people bound. Fear, apathy and pride cage the lives of those laughing. Life is meant to be live for those moments on the edge of the cliff with home-made wings. Life should be lived in the cycle of flight. Preparation (making of the home-made wings), Journey (the walk up the cliff), Suspense (peering over the edge while thinking you are the dumbest person alive), Leap (the moment of absurdity), Crash/Land (the bittersweet symphony). Success is not defined by whether the man with home-made wings flies, but whether he tries. For the true sign of failure is found in the person laughing on the side of the cliff, for they have never tried and in doing so have never truly lived. Hence I propose the absurdity, yet necessity of wings. Here's to jumping off of cliffs with home-made wings...