Henri Nouwen on falling of the balance beam

"You're in a room with a six-inch-wide balance beam in the center. Now the balance beam is only twelve inches off the fully carpeted floor. Most of us act as if we were blindfolded and trying to walk on that balance beam; we're afraid we'll fall off. But we don't realize we're only twelve inches off the floor. The spiritual director is someone who can push you off that balance beam and say, 'See? It's okay. God still loves you.'"
(Henri Nouwen)

Well I'll be. I've been operating under the idea that we needed to stay on those balance beams. I suppose I'll have to go somewhere from here with this.