a busload of tourists arrived just in time for my spectacle, and they joined
in the chanting: “F—— it! F—— it! F—— it!” The whole crowd was into it. Why,oh why did they have to hear me say that? There
was no backing out now.
I jumped feet first, toes pointed down toward the water, my body stiff and braced for the impact. The words “Oh… my… God”
are all I remember thinking before I hit the water, hard. Every cavity was flushed out, but the water was invigorating. I
felt giddy, like I could do anything. I swam over to the other side of the cliff, where Timmy and his sister were waiting.
They’d already climbed up to another diving platform, five feet higher than the first one, so of course I had to join them.
“Okay,” we figured, “we can do this again.” At this point, there was no other way to get back onto terra firma anyway. When
I landed in one piece the second time, the initial thrill had worn off, and I shuddered at the thought of what I’d just put
myself through. I finally climbed out of the sea and back to the bar, never to return to Jamaican cliff jumping again! But
I was proud of what I’d done. The overwhelming memory of that experience was the exhilaration I felt as I splashed into the
water—not the moment of terror I felt before I took the leap.
I guess you could call me a bit of an adrenaline junkie. I enjoy challenging myself and testing the limits of my fear. Because
life is so short and so precious, you’ve got to take a big bite out of it. Thatmeans learning, growing, and being open to
new things. It means embracing change. There’s so much out there I have yet to try, and I’m up for anything.
Fear the Fear
Fear can be crippling. It can paralyze you and cause you to not move or do things that you desire most in your heart. It can
hold you back from love or keep you stuck in a pattern or a place where love won’t ever find you. You might be afraid that
the person you love will leave you or won’t love you back. You might be afraid to be your authentic self, believing you’ll
be rejected if people see who you really are. Fear stops you from feeling the greatest joys in life. Fear kills the real you.
The Jamaican cliff dive moment was one of my more extreme adventures, but I love experiencing the rush that comes from doing
something that’s way out of my comfort zone. I like to do things that are exciting. There’s something about having that little
bit of fear and pushing myself to overcome it. It allows me to do so many other things I might not otherwise consider. It
makes me feel alive.
Making the movie
Last Holiday
and walking in the shoes of my character, Georgia Byrd, reminded mehow important it is to really drop your inhibitions and
go for it. Fear was holding this woman back from so much in life. She loved food and she loved to cook, but instead of eating
the dishes she created, she’d nuke herself a Lean Cuisine in the microwave because she was afraid of a few extra calories.
She had a beautiful voice, but she was so timid that no one in her church choir could hear her sing. She was crazy for a man
she worked with, and he was obviously crazy for her, but she was so shy that she couldn’t even look him in the eye. Her whole
life was stuck inside a wish book in her kitchen drawer, gathering dust.
It’s only when she gets the news that she’s dying that she really starts to live. That was a powerful message for me, because
at the time I was doing nothing but work, work, work, and I wasn’t making enough room in my schedule to just enjoy life. It’s
very easy to get caught up and not notice all the good things that are passing you by. You have to live every day like it’s
your last.
In the movie, Georgia decides to cash in all her bonds and clear out her savings account and have one last blast before the
end came. With nothing left to lose, she goes on a real adventure. She even goes BASE
in the chanting: “F—— it! F—— it! F—— it!” The whole crowd was into it. Why,oh why did they have to hear me say that? There
was no backing out now.
I jumped feet first, toes pointed down toward the water, my body stiff and braced for the impact. The words “Oh… my… God”
are all I remember thinking before I hit the water, hard. Every cavity was flushed out, but the water was invigorating. I
felt giddy, like I could do anything. I swam over to the other side of the cliff, where Timmy and his sister were waiting.
They’d already climbed up to another diving platform, five feet higher than the first one, so of course I had to join them.
“Okay,” we figured, “we can do this again.” At this point, there was no other way to get back onto terra firma anyway. When
I landed in one piece the second time, the initial thrill had worn off, and I shuddered at the thought of what I’d just put
myself through. I finally climbed out of the sea and back to the bar, never to return to Jamaican cliff jumping again! But
I was proud of what I’d done. The overwhelming memory of that experience was the exhilaration I felt as I splashed into the
water—not the moment of terror I felt before I took the leap.
I guess you could call me a bit of an adrenaline junkie. I enjoy challenging myself and testing the limits of my fear. Because
life is so short and so precious, you’ve got to take a big bite out of it. Thatmeans learning, growing, and being open to
new things. It means embracing change. There’s so much out there I have yet to try, and I’m up for anything.
Fear the Fear
Fear can be crippling. It can paralyze you and cause you to not move or do things that you desire most in your heart. It can
hold you back from love or keep you stuck in a pattern or a place where love won’t ever find you. You might be afraid that
the person you love will leave you or won’t love you back. You might be afraid to be your authentic self, believing you’ll
be rejected if people see who you really are. Fear stops you from feeling the greatest joys in life. Fear kills the real you.
The Jamaican cliff dive moment was one of my more extreme adventures, but I love experiencing the rush that comes from doing
something that’s way out of my comfort zone. I like to do things that are exciting. There’s something about having that little
bit of fear and pushing myself to overcome it. It allows me to do so many other things I might not otherwise consider. It
makes me feel alive.
Making the movie
Last Holiday
and walking in the shoes of my character, Georgia Byrd, reminded mehow important it is to really drop your inhibitions and
go for it. Fear was holding this woman back from so much in life. She loved food and she loved to cook, but instead of eating
the dishes she created, she’d nuke herself a Lean Cuisine in the microwave because she was afraid of a few extra calories.
She had a beautiful voice, but she was so timid that no one in her church choir could hear her sing. She was crazy for a man
she worked with, and he was obviously crazy for her, but she was so shy that she couldn’t even look him in the eye. Her whole
life was stuck inside a wish book in her kitchen drawer, gathering dust.
It’s only when she gets the news that she’s dying that she really starts to live. That was a powerful message for me, because
at the time I was doing nothing but work, work, work, and I wasn’t making enough room in my schedule to just enjoy life. It’s
very easy to get caught up and not notice all the good things that are passing you by. You have to live every day like it’s
your last.
In the movie, Georgia decides to cash in all her bonds and clear out her savings account and have one last blast before the
end came. With nothing left to lose, she goes on a real adventure. She even goes BASE
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