I used to think if you fell from grace it was more likely than not the result of one stupendous error, or else an unfortunate accident. I hadn't learned that it can happen so gradually you don't lose your stomach or hurt yourself in the landing. You don't necessarily sense the motion. I've found it takes at least two and generally three things to alter the course of a life: You slip around the truth once, and then again, and one more time, and there you are, feeling, for a moment, that it was sudden, your arrival at the bottom of the heap.
In Jane Hamilton's "A Map of the World," the idea of falling from grace is explored deeply, contrasting initial beliefs about such downward spirals. The narrator reflects on the misconceptions that a significant downfall is usually due to a single misstep or accident. Instead, the journey to losing one's standing is often subtle, marked by an imperceptible series of small choices that lead to a significant shift in one's life. This gradual decline can occur without immediate feelings of fear or pain.
The passage emphasizes that life changes typically require more than one lapse from the truth. It suggests that each small misstep contributes cumulatively to the eventual feeling of hitting rock bottom. This realization highlights the importance of self-awareness in maintaining one's moral compass and the potential dangers of ignoring small ethical compromises over time. As the narrator comes to understand, the perception of a sudden fall can often overshadow the more insidious process that led there.
