--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But—but in falling, we fly, don’t we? We…" description: "\"“But—but in falling, we fly, don’t we? We fly vertically. That’s the paradox of vertical flight. Falling is the only way we can fly.”\" — Emil Ostrovski" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/emil-ostrovski-56314_falling_but-but-in-falling-we-fly-don-t-we-we-fl_127777.jpg" --- # But—but in falling, we fly, don’t we? We fly vertically… ![“But—but in falling, we fly, don’t we? We fly vertically. That’s the paradox of vertical flight. Falling is the only way we can fly.” quote by Emil Ostrovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/emil-ostrovski-56314_falling_but-but-in-falling-we-fly-don-t-we-we-fl_127777.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/emil-ostrovski-56314_falling_but-but-in-falling-we-fly-don-t-we-we-fl_127777.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/emil-ostrovski-56314_falling_but-but-in-falling-we-fly-don-t-we-we-fl_127777.jpg) > ““But—but in falling, we fly, don’t we? We fly vertically. That’s the paradox of vertical flight. Falling is the only way we can fly.”” [Emil Ostrovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ostrovski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that surrendering control or embracing vulnerability can paradoxically lead to empowerment and freedom. **In simple terms:** Accepting vulnerability can give freedom. Key Takeaway Embrace vulnerability for growth. Themes paradox vulnerability empowerment freedom Mood introspective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - creative work - personal crisis - learning new skills - overcoming fear Key Concepts existentialism psychology risk-taking Questions to Reflect On - When have you felt vulnerable yet liberated? - How can surrender become a source of power? A Different Perspective Risk can lead to loss or harm if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Falling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling/) [Fly Vertically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fly-vertically-1473735/) [Flying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flying/) [Paradox Vertical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox-vertical-1473734/) [Vertical Flight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vertical-flight-1473733/) [Vertically Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vertically-paradox-1473732/) ## Related quotes > [“When you jump off a cliff, falling can look a whole lot like flying, for a while anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elan-mastai/when-you-jump-off-a-cliff-falling-can-look-a-whole-lot-like-flying/) [Elan Mastai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elan-mastai/) > [“I have fallen so many times and i realized that falling is flying”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tare-munzara/i-have-fallen-so-many-times-and-i-realized-that-falling-is-flying/) [Tare Munzara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tare-munzara/) > [“Other people had flying dreams. I had falling nightmares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia-and-margaret-stohl/other-people-had-flying-dreams-i-had-falling-nightmares/) [Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia-and-margaret-stohl/) > [“ Falling is the first step in learning how to fly. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/falling-is-the-first-step-in-learning-how-to-fly/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Dropped down to the airplane if you can get up once, but after falling from the eyes, of a life can not get up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/dropped-down-to-the-airplane-if-you-can-get-up-once-but-after-falling/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [“The minute I stand up, I've jumped off the cliff. The world goes by in a haze of color and light; my weight accelerates,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-minute-i-stand-up-i-ve-jumped-off-the-cliff-the-world-goes-by-in/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [And falling's just another way to fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilie-autumn/and-falling-s-just-another-way-to-fly/) [Emilie Autumn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilie-autumn/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a man as great as the gods… But even the great can tremble with fear. Even the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-man-as-great-as-the-gods-but-even-the/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [Falling for someone who will never notice you no matter how hard you try to get their attention...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/falling-for-someone-who-will-never-notice-you-no-matter-how-hard-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [They say that if you give your children too much, they don't get the joy out of work. They just want the unearned things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-rinehart/they-say-that-if-you-give-your-children-too-much-they-don-t-get-the/) [Gina Rinehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-rinehart/) > [“If you ever falling but can't see the bottom be glad you can't because at the bottom it's either a soft land or rocks!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelseigh-ashton/if-you-ever-falling-but-can-t-see-the-bottom-be-glad-you-can-t/) [Kelseigh Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelseigh-ashton/) > [When you see how fragile and delicate life can be, all else fades into the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/when-you-see-how-fragile-and-delicate-life-can-be-all-else-fades-into/) [Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/) > [“We will all, at some point in our lives, fall. Every single one of us. We shouldn't spend our time trying to avoid falling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/we-will-all-at-some-point-in-our-lives-fall-every-single-one-of-us-we/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [What if I tell you I'm falling again? what if I tell you I'm willing to stand there till you notice me again? what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/what-if-i-tell-you-i-m-falling-again-what-if-i-tell-you-i-m-willing/) [Ana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) ## More by Emil Ostrovski > [“Insanity is a disease, and it is highly contagious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ostrovski/insanity-is-a-disease-and-it-is-highly-contagious/) [Emil Ostrovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ostrovski/) > [“I love you, but sometimes I feel like slapping you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ostrovski/i-love-you-but-sometimes-i-feel-like-slapping-you/) [Emil Ostrovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ostrovski/) > [“...true friendship, the kind the whims of life cannot break, cannot stop or limit, true friendship of this sort, you will probably find only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ostrovski/true-friendship-the-kind-the-whims-of-life-cannot-break-cannot-stop/) [Emil Ostrovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ostrovski/) > [“Your-no-our free will gives us choices and because we're not perfect, it's not always clear which choice is the right one...So yes, we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ostrovski/your-no-our-free-will-gives-us-choices-and-because-we-re-not-perfect/) [Emil Ostrovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ostrovski/) > [You can't just go and ask people the questions that matter most--that would be too easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ostrovski/you-can-t-just-go-and-ask-people-the-questions-that-matter-most-that/) [Emil Ostrovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ostrovski/) [Explore all 6 Emil Ostrovski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ostrovski/) ## More Falling quotes > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [What if I tell you I'm falling again? what if I tell you I'm willing to stand there till you notice me again? what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/what-if-i-tell-you-i-m-falling-again-what-if-i-tell-you-i-m-willing/) [Ana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/) > [“We will all, at some point in our lives, fall. Every single one of us. We shouldn't spend our time trying to avoid falling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/we-will-all-at-some-point-in-our-lives-fall-every-single-one-of-us-we/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [When you see how fragile and delicate life can be, all else fades into the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/when-you-see-how-fragile-and-delicate-life-can-be-all-else-fades-into/) [Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/) > [“If you ever falling but can't see the bottom be glad you can't because at the bottom it's either a soft land or rocks!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelseigh-ashton/if-you-ever-falling-but-can-t-see-the-bottom-be-glad-you-can-t/) [Kelseigh Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelseigh-ashton/) > [They say that if you give your children too much, they don't get the joy out of work. They just want the unearned things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-rinehart/they-say-that-if-you-give-your-children-too-much-they-don-t-get-the/) [Gina Rinehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-rinehart/) > [Falling for someone who will never notice you no matter how hard you try to get their attention...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/falling-for-someone-who-will-never-notice-you-no-matter-how-hard-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a man as great as the gods… But even the great can tremble with fear. Even the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-man-as-great-as-the-gods-but-even-the/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [“Falling in love is not the problem; hitting your head on the way down is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/falling-in-love-is-not-the-problem-hitting-your-head-on-the-way-down/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [maybe tonight you're scared of falling, and maybe there's somebody here or somewhere else you're thinking about, worrying over, fretting over, trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/maybe-tonight-you-re-scared-of-falling-and-maybe-there-s-somebody/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [When we fall utterly, something gathers us up. But our falling must be without reservation, without expectation, without hope, though not hopeless. You cant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-housden/when-we-fall-utterly-something-gathers-us-up-but-our-falling-must-be/) [Roger Housden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-housden/) > [Sometimes when things seem to be falling apart, they are actually falling into place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-when-things-seem-to-be-falling-apart-they-are-actually/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The tides which flow and lapse in the Bristol Channel are often distained by the freshets of many streams falling through wooded coombes below…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-williamson/the-tides-which-flow-and-lapse-in-the-bristol-channel-are-often/) [Henry Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-williamson/) > [Remember those walls I built? Well, baby they're tumbling down And they didn't even put up a fight They didn't even make a sound.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prettyblueeyes/remember-those-walls-i-built-well-baby-they-re-tumbling-down-and-they/) [PrettyBlueEyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prettyblueeyes/) > [“When you were young you talked about "falling in love" with such amusing gravity, as if it were an actual recordable event, when what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/when-you-were-young-you-talked-about-falling-in-love-with-such/) [Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/) [Browse all 2,510 Falling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But—but in falling, we fly, don’t we? We fly vertically. That’s the paradox of vertical flight. 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