Defining phrase: falling action
the bridge
AI generation on Google defines falling action as “the events that occur after the climax and lead towards the resolution or ending. It's the sequence where the tension begins to decrease and loose ends are tied up, allowing the characters and the audience to reflect and reorganize.”
When I was a sophomore in high school, my family took a trip to Disney World. It wasn’t our first time, but it’s the one I remember best. My brother and I stood in line over and over again through a spooky building lined with moving framed “photographs” to climb into this rickety-looking old elevator. After hearing safety information and pulling the harness over our chests, we heard a spooky laugh, and then - gasp - the floor seemed to disappear from under our feet as we dropped several stories only to be jerked upward and dropped again…and again. We loved this.
In October, after years of late-night conversations, my husband and I finally came to a decision. Because the change wouldn’t take place until August, we are hovering in the in-between. Sometimes it feels wild and reckless, careening toward the bottom. Other days, we’re slowly suspended, waiting for the big drop that will end the ride.
My youngest is in her reckless phase. I catch her out of the corner of my eye as she steps forward onto the step that doesn’t exist. I can’t get there before she hits the ground.
We’re leaving the Aldi, full shopping cart in tow. I peer over the baby carrier where my newborn is sleeping to reach for my toddler’s hand. But he’s not there. I look ahead, and he’s sprinting through the glass sliding doors toward the parking lot where cars are haphazardly pulling in and out of spots in the dim twilight. I take after him, but I trip. I’m hurling forward, arms outstretched to soften the fall and protect the sleeping innocent.
As fruit ripens, cells break down, and the tree slowly lets go of the literal fruit of its labor. This letting go allows seeds to reach the ground and spread, planting more trees.
My mom recently sent me a folder of high school essays and journal entries. Back then, I chose to write all the time, reflecting and working through a problem, either for my benefit or for a grade. Years later, I’m still writing through it.
If you made it to the end of this one, thanks. I’m experimenting with different writing styles, and my excitement to publish meant I didn’t spend as long editing. I hope you found a thread! I’d love to hear your thoughts, and if you try your own defining word/phrase essay, please let me know! I borrowed this concept from a writing course I took with Coffee + Crumbs a while back!