Thursday, May 31, 2007

Quiet in the Sky

I have finally jumped out of a plane! Being one of the few Soul Acrobats who has never done it, it was about time! But I didn’t just jump – I tasted the crisp, clean air found at 10,000 feet, I bathed in sunlight that has yet to reach the surface of the earth, I floated above the ground watching the happenings of the city below and was reminded of the days I used to set up Playmobile cities with my brother and sisters, I landed so softly on the Earth after falling at speeds reaching 125mph, I could have been strolling over the soft sand found on Maui’s beaches!! On April 29th, I was flying without an airplane and with much calmer nerves than when I am in an airplane!!

The whole experience was not at all what I expected. Most of my expectations lay around fear and not knowing, but it turns out that fear was probably what I experienced least. Yes, I was afraid and even thinking of it now, I get nervous, but it seems that sometimes, when you’re in the right place at the right time with the right people, your fears become replaced by awe, anticipation, excitement, trust, and just the overall feeling of life! And maybe that’s the part of fear that we like and what keeps thrill seekers coming back. Yes, there’s fear, but when combined with all these other feelings, it can be overcome, which then makes the feeling of accomplishment and success over something you have feared, feel that much greater!

All in all, I think my first, and certainly not least, skydiving experience was a good reminder to not rush things to happen. What struck me most, was the calm and the quiet I experienced and how great the whole moment felt. I’m sure I would have enjoyed skydiving whenever I would have done it, but I really think it all happened at the right moment. When you know you have things you want to do or accomplish, don’t rush to make them happen. Take the necessary steps so you’re ready and so you can be successful, and then be patient for the right time. When things happen at the right time, you feel it – it’s those moments when everything feels lined up, available, and that the world and its opportunities are at your finger tips!

I leave you with this thought: have you ever seen a rainbow from the other side? Me neither, but I will. It’s a different world up there and I look forward to exploring it further.