What flying a kite taught me about life

 

What Flying a Kite Taught Me About Life

I was never very good at flying kites. There was the ritual of preparing the thread, patiently untangling knots, waiting for the right breeze, coaxing the kite into the sky, and then watching two kites dance, circle and tangle high above us, each trying to outwit the other. It was all rather hit and miss. I don't remember winning many kite battles. What I do remember is the excitement, the shouts from neighbouring rooftops, and that sinking feeling as my kite drifted away.

Only years later did I realise that flying a kite had taught me something about life.

A kite doesn't soar because someone holds the string tightly. It flies because the person below knows when to pull, when to ease, and when to trust the wind.

I've come to believe that people are much the same.

As parents, partners, teachers, friends or leaders, we often think that holding on tighter is the best way to protect those we care about. But people flourish when they are trusted.

Hold on too tightly and you hold people back. Let go completely and the connection is lost.

The real skill lies in staying connected while giving others the freedom to find their own way.

Like flying a kite, the secret isn't in holding on tighter. It's in knowing when to loosen the string.

Funny how some of life's biggest lessons arrive on the end of a piece of string... and stay with us long after the kite has disappeared from the sky.