It may cover many miles on its way down, but down it is coming. The string in our case is tradition, the use of past successes to survive and overcome new difficulties. Tradition really does have the value of keeping us centered and safe in many situations and frees us from having to repeat the mistakes of the past. If you break the connection with tradition, you are at the mercy of the wind and with no internal ability of your own, soon crash. It is the pressure of the wind, new fads and ideas, held back by tradition, that allows the kite to soar.
New situations demand creative answers.
Everyone wants to be a bird, not a kite, because birds seem to be free to choose, and we worship freedom today over heaven, as naturally as sparks fly upward. In fact, the freedom a bird has by not being held back by the string of tradition is not just the freedom to explore but the freedom to make mistakes. If the mines have been moved, then the person who is the best at a new method of mine detection is to be followed, not the old leader. But no one should follow too closely until he proves himself, since they may just go up with him. Without traditions we are doomed to endlessly repeat the mistakes of the past, dying foolishly in the name of freedom.