Whenever Tom Petty's song, 'Free Fallin,' would come on the radio, my palms would sweat profusely. Although Petty is describing his post-breakup liberation, I always thought of skydiving and how I never desired to free fall out of an airplane.
In fact, I'm not even a fan of roller coasters or simulation rides. As a result, my friends love watching me freak out on Disney's Animal Kingdom's 'Avatar Flight of Passage.' (I promise that this article isn't sponsored…but that might be great! Disney definitely has my contact details.) Basically, you sit like you're riding a motorcycle and the seat moves your thighs out and in to make it seem like the “banshee” is breathing. Then, with an IMAX-size screen, you are guided with the natural beauty of Pandora. “Flying” the banshee actually makes my hands sweat so much that my fingers prune as though I've spent an hour soaking within the tub.
However, I decided to conquer my fear and this summer, I jumped out of an airplane.
For my sister's graduation present, she wanted us to go skydiving. My fearless sister, Tatum, increased and made the jump first. When Tatum landed, she had been itching to do it again. All I could think was How shall we be even related?
All too soon, it was my brother, Trey, and I's turn to result in the one-way flight. While my instructor tightened straps on my harness and made small talk, I started to shake. Why was I carrying this out? Why did anyone want to do this? “This is the second parachute which is our back-up, should the first one malfunctions,” the trainer explained. The word 'malfunction' caught attention and held it as I walked up to the tiny, puddle jumper. Although I'm not superstitious, I still desired to knock on any and each piece of wood available. Maybe even knock myself out so I wouldn't remember any of this.
Once within the miniature airplane, my younger brother and his instructor scooted to the back of the plane and I sat near the door. When I freak out, I'm excessively chatty and then become mute. After we boarded the plane, I only answered yes or no questions. “Does this strap feel too tight?” “Can you scoot a little further up?” “Do your goggles feel at ease?” Otherwise, I stared the small window; looking through the clouds a the world shrank beneath us.
We were skydiving in Amelia Island, Florida and also the view from 14,000 feet was incredible. If you are planning to jump, I do believe that the earth beneath you ought to be beautiful.
“Are you ready?” the trainer yells in my ear. Before I can respond, he is opening the door and the wind roars in response. “Can we just hang on the side for a short while?” I ask. Personally i think my instructor shrug behind me, “Whatever you want to do.”
So I resituate until my arms and legs are dangling outside of the plane. My limbs are as limp like a ragdolls and I stare at the ground. Swaying within the breeze, I can honestly say this is the first time that I've heard true silence. Suspended more than two miles above the ground, I felt weightless as if time and gravity meant nothing. I felt like place in the world and simultaneously, separate from it. Is that this what transcendence means?
There are only a handful of moments when I've ever felt this. Maybe you've felt it too! You are leaving something comfortable behind and therefore are preparing to make a headlong jump in to the unknown. Yet, you linger as it were in the in-between. Maybe you are building up your courage, staring at the terrain ahead, or even pausing here we are at memory's sake. Personally, I did all three.
Then I hear myself say, “I'm ready.” Wordlessly, my instructor leans forward and we flip out of the plane. Now we're truly free falling. Within the video of my jump, I oscillate between looking like a demon escaping the abyss and a Who from Dr. Seuss. All I understand is that I screamed so much that I forgot to breathe.
Before I could fully grasp what was happening, the parachute caught the wind and jerked us upright. Then, we glided down and gracefully landed on our feet. I believe Tom Cruise would've been proud.
So if you are jumping from a plane, altering your cereal brand or transitioning into a new season of life, let yourself free fall just a little. Yes, you can pack a parachute (or two), but ultimately, surrender towards the wind and see where it requires you.
