I love this picture. This girl taking flight. This reminds me so much of me, the other kids remind me of my brothers and sisters. The girl is me.. leaping into the air, arms outspread, eyes on the horizon, wind streaming through her hair, a plane and plains below. It makes me cry.
Why cry? Because this picture reminds me of my lost childhood dreams. It reminds me of my new dream of flight. I am a pilot now. I've slipped the surly bonds of earth as they say. I keep doing that as often as possible. Part of my tears looking at this painting are from fear. Fear that I will have my dream taken away (I know how fragile health can be). Fear that I will spend the rest of my productive life working at some desk somewhere when I would gladly exchange my six figure job for one that would allow me to view the horizon every day.
Beyond fear there are also tears of hope. I believe dreams are things to be worked for. You don't wait for your dreams to come true with a wave of the wand. You do what it takes to put yourself into a position that opportunities arrive and you're ready to take advantage of them. So that's what I'm doing, I'm working on an IFR rating. After that I'll earn my commercial license. After that, who knows? multi? CFI? You can't win the lottery if you don't play they say. So this is my expensive gamble. To put myself into a position to make my dreams a reality.
Finally, I think there are also tears of joy and empathy for that girl. I know what its like to want to launch into the air, eyes on the horizon and fly with wind streaming through my hair. I also know what its like to do just that. I am so fortunate to have done just that. Right now, I'm dreaming so hard. I hope my dreams come true. I have to remind myself... in many ways, they already have!
Very nice post. I can relate so well. I dreamt of flight for so long. I got my private in 1995 but gave up flying in 1999 due to a job change and growing family. I got current again last summer and have struggled to keep current.
ReplyDeleteI plan on starting my instrument rating this year. I also am a cube rat that keeps looking out the window at the airplanes. There happens to be an airport a 1/2 mile from where I work. They don't rent airplanes there though so a lunch time lap in the pattern is not an option, yet. I have to find someone to let me borrow their plane
I fly out of KPVF and have taken the short hop to KAUN for breakfast. The breakfast is worth it and best to arrive early. It would be faster to just drive to KAUN but that isn't the point.
My approach is nothing new but just testimony to the tried and true - set short term goals to arrive at a long term objective.
Keep writing. It provides inspiration.
Exactly.. short term goals to get a long term objective. That's what I'm doing too... Along the way I get to fly :)
DeleteI agree too... often it is shorter to drive than fly, but that is not the point :) Keep on flying! Maybe I'll see you at AUN some time!