The narrator reflects on her transition from girlhood and how she faced challenges with a facade of bravery. While others perceived her as courageous, she felt more like a scared tortoise, wanting to retreat whenever confronted by fears or obstacles. This internal conflict highlights the struggle between external expectations and inner feelings of vulnerability.

To cope with this disparity, she created a personal mantra encouraging boldness: "If you must err, do so on the side of audacity." This phrase empowered her to take leaps of faith, represented by her act of flinging herself over door sills, offering her a way to confront her fears even when she felt afraid inside.