The F-Word
I don’t mean the f-word you probably think I mean. Over the last 2 years, I’ve immersed myself in a community that has a different f-word that is taboo per se. Within this community, saying it bears a hefty price, and people often change the way they speak simply to avoid saying it. But even with all of this, it isn’t a bad word. Actually, it’s often a means for gathering and celebrating as a community or group. The word I’m talking about is ‘first’.
In the skydiving community, the word ‘first’ implies a milestone of sorts - new gear, first time accomplishing a maneuver, or doing a type of jump. Simply uttering it will be gladly met by jeers of ‘BEER!’ from everyone else around you. Almost everywhere you go, skydivers live by the Beer Rules, which state that any new milestone deserves a celebration with a case of beer purchased by whomever accomplished it. This ranges from those mentioned above, to any jump number ending in ‘00’, to new licenses and ratings, and certain minor violations such as crossing the beer line on landing.
It serves multiple purposes too. It’s an additional reason to gather and celebrate - and trust me, skydivers love celebrating. It’s also a reason to get together and share stories, and often, it’s those stories where we learn from the experiences of our fellow jumpers. We share and teach and experience things as we grow closer as a community.
So next time you do something for the ‘first’ time, no matter how small it might seem to you, take the opportunity to relish in it and celebrate with friends. I’ll gladly share a beer with you. Now go out there do something new!
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Patrick Cockwell | An Uncommon Approach To Life
My thoughts and experiences as a young adult in San Francisco
