Flying High In The Sky

Good morning, it's 6:31 a.m. here in New York, quiet and cold once again. Skydiving is a dream come true for thrill seekers. Being attracted to the abnormal, I was ready and willing. In the back of my head I figure, good or bad, I can always write about it later somehow.

So there I was in a classroom learning how to "jump" out of a plane. I'm not scared of heights so I was thrilled. Our group was driven to a field where our tiny plane waited to take us into the sky. I was as a very happy camper. The girl next me however was a mess and killing the vibe. "Oh no, am I really going to jump?" "I don't think I can do it." "I think I made a mistake." I think she started crying, I tuned her out. 

  

Finally, we were at an altitude appropriate for "jumping." When they asked who wanted to go first, I "jumped" at the chance, for various reasons. I was summoned to the door, that shook as it opened by the wind and the instructors began strapping us together. A first "jump" is always in tandem, with an instructor. 

Faster than expected, he had me place my right foot on the bar located outside of the plane and the other foot... he trailed off. At this point, time slowly ticked away. I carefully placed my right foot on the bar and the wind kicked it off, I re-planted it securely. For my next move, I didn't need to say any words, the instructor followed my movements. Together our left feet wrapped around out of the plane and into the air, releasing our right feet, there was no "jumping" at all.

The moment we were first suspended in the air, felt as though we were in space, with no gravity (because you know we've all been in space). As the rush came in, I watched everything happen as I wore goggles. The world below came circling at me very fast. Suddenly, we were jerked up by the parachutes. Our group was last to go up so our "jump" was at dusk. What I saw next was the most beautiful display of nature I never knew possible. As I glided into the night soaking up the universe, I wanted the moment to last forever. 

All of sudden, out of nowhere, I became frightened. I realized my instructor wasn't on my back as he was supposed to be. I looked up and saw the bottom of his feet, not good I thought, what had I gotten myself into now. I had been gliding alone. I tried convincing myself this was normal, I knew it wasn't though. We glided into the field and landed a little too hard. Everyone on the ground was clapping and cheering hysterically.

Come to find out, there was a problem with our parachutes. The small problem was enough to have killed me I guess; however, at the time what I experienced was so pleasurable it wasn't enough to kill the sensation.

Anyone in New York want to organize a group? Call me...I'm down.

Photo: bucultureshock.com

Have you ever been skydiving? If so, would you ever go again?