Taste of Flight : My First Flight Experience

Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been , and there you will always long to return.

- Leonardo da Vinci

I enter the aviation school and meet the pilot I will be flying with, Mike . " Is it just you? Usually people bring their family or spouse." " Nope, just me." " I didn't think anyone would sign up to fly at 9 am on a Sunday.." "Well, I didn't want to give myself any time to be nervous today."  " You don't need to be nervous. I'm not nervous and it's my first time flying too!" He smiles wide. I laugh.

We head out to the tarmac . As we walk past the planes they begin to decrease in size. We get to the  smallest plane on the lot , just big enough fit the two of us. Mike stops . My eyes widen. " THIS ONE?!" Mike laughs. " That is exactly the reaction I was expecting from you ." I climb up and strap in. We latch the windows , put on our headsets , Mike hits a couple buttons in the cockpit , and we are off. We go down the runway and before I know it we are taking off. After a few minutes my stomach begins to churn as we hit some slight turbulence. "Don't worry this will pass" he tells me.

Soon we are coasting smoothly. I look below. The clear blue water is sparkling. I see the tops of adobe roofs, trees, and tiny cars below. I look at them any controls in front of me and watch as Mike flips things on and off and pulls levers to make small adjustments . He tells me to put my hands on the steering wheel. He explains that turning to the right or left steers the plane but pulling the steering wheel out allows you to make the plane go up or down. A skilled pilot, however, makes the ascend or descend seamless . He asks if I get scared easily and before I could answer he pulls the steering wheel out and down and then up quickly . The sudden turbulence makes my stomach flip. " That is what happens if you didn't do it properly. Man-made turbulence. " I grasp my heart and ,once I catch my breath ,I laugh.  After  a short time of letting me hold the wheel in front of me, Mike tells me he will take back the controls, though I suspect he had them the whole time.

Soon we are flying over swampland. It looks like dark green cotton candy is covering the water below. After a few minutes , we turn around and begin to head back. Mike offers to open the door and allow me to conquer several scary things at once: flying, skydiving , and scuba diving . I tell him maybe next time. He holds up his hand to cut me off as the dispatcher begins giving him landing instructions. We approach the runway and slowly descend. I barely feel the plane touch down. We high five and exit the plane.

When I explained to someone that I would I would be going flying even though I was terrified , his response caught me off-guard. He said , " It sounds like you are braver than you realize . You admit to being scared of things but do them anyway. Courage is defined, not as the absence of fear ,but the ability to act despite the presence of fear. "

My wings have always existed. What has changed is that  now I have learned how to fly.

80/20

 

Life’s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late

-Benjamin Franklin

I sat down with my grandparents to interview them about relationships. My grandmother started, “ For 60 years , you have ups and downs but you get through them because you want to.. I can’t imagine life without Grandpa.” She looked over at him to make sure his hearing aid was registering what she is saying.

I asked what tips they would give to others for a successful marriage. They told me that a sense of humour was critical , along with enjoying each other’s company, and never staying angry.  “ Sometimes you will disagree and that’s okay.. but you also need to take a step back and do an examination of conscience.” My grandfather chimed in “ People never let things go. ..apologize and move on. Don’t harp on it.

I asked if they think today’s couples give up too easily. Before I can even finish the question my grandmother quickly said, “Yes.”

I asked how they raised four children while both working . My grandmother said, “There is no such thing as 50/50. Sometimes all I could give was 20%  and Grandpa had to give 80%. Sometimes we both have 100% to give , but not always. My grandfather added, “There was never ‘ You do the baths and I will do the dishes.’ We just DID IT. These four kids belonged to us and things needed to get done.”

For many years I always thought couples with a focus on 50/50 sharing of responsibilities had the key to successful relationships.  Perhaps when putting so much focus on “roles” we are actually setting ourselves up for failure.

I thanked my grandparents for their time and as I got up to put my coffee cup in the sink I realized I don’t have to reach 85 years old to be wise, I simply need to ask the right questions and listen to the answers of the people right in front of me.

White Picket Fence

White Picket Fence

 

I get a familiar excited feeling when I see the white picket fence. It was the sign as a child that we were literally around the corner from my grandparent’s house. It was the moment of the car ride my brother and I would squeal with delight.  I enter the house and am instantly greeted with hugs and an invitation to “sit down and have a warm drink.”

I always feel the same way in their home, relaxed and at peace. I’m not sure if it is because of my grandparents’ presence, the familiar environment, or the non-cluttered simplicity that helps free my mind from distractions. Maybe it is all of those things.

I’m not sure if it is because I’ve returned after some time away but on this visit  everywhere I look I see memories from my childhood; the basement my cousins and I played in , sidewalks I rode my bike on, the porch where we all put on our Sunday best to take photos on Easter.

I smell a faint scent of ivory soap as I sit with my grandparents having a cup of coffee in their small kitchen. My life has taken me across the country and while I am excited about future adventures, there will also be a need to return to a place that feels like home. In a world constantly evolving, we must not overlook the beauty of things that can remain unchanged.