High Flyer

OMG, guess what I did earlier this week, guys?  Well, the title sorta gives it away... BUT I have to tell you that I had one of the most incredible experiences ever!  And it was all courtesy of "Mr. Pop-Up" himself, Birthday Boy, who is keenly aware of the fact that I love to try new things.  So, in honor of my birthday, he came by and whisked me off cloak-and-dagger style to embark on a fly-by-the-seat adventure that had never even been a blip on my life's radar.  Totally surprised, but totally down for the cause, I eagerly picked up the gauntlet that was laid before me and dove head first into my very first session of indoor skydiving!

After a brief, five minute tutorial on how to position your body during flight as well as the hand signals the instructor will use to help guide you while in the loud wind tunnel, I put on a red striped jumpsuit along with adjustable goggles and helmet, and was ready to rock and roll.

Once I had on all of my flight gear, things got really real.  I kept a smile on my face as my group and I walked through the halls and down the stairs to the wind tunnel, but it totally belied the nervousness I was feeling growing inside my belly.  And please believe me when I say that the fact that I was wearing a helmet with the ominous numbers "911" was not lost on me at all.  I started to think, "What in the world am I doing and why am I doing it?"

And then we all filtered into the waiting area just outside the tunnel and things got even more realer as I quickly realized that the seating arrangement left me, Dolce, having to go into the tunnel first.  I adjusted my goggles under the guise of securing a better fit since my eyelashes were mashing up against the "lenses", but it was more empty fidgeting than anything as I knew my time was drawing nigh.  As I stood up after being called to the doorway, I turned to the awaiting group and asked if anyone wanted to go first instead of me.  No answer.  I asked again because, well, maybe they didn't hear me.  Again, blank stares; no one budged.  I surveyed the faces of the group one last time - a bunch of kids, none of them older than about fourteen or so - and quickly gathered myself.  I was the only adult and there was no way I was going to punk out in front of these youngins.  That's so not my style anyway.  So I walked up to the threshold and the tunnel came alive...

Like being caught in a tunnel with an oncoming train, the wind was strong and fiercely assailed my ears as it whipped across the front of my face.  This was it.  It was now or never.  And, honestly, it almost became never as the remaining enthusiasm I had left waned and fear tightened its grip.  The instructor saw the dread etched on my face and deftly coaxed me to step forward... lift up my arms... and let go...

 And then I flew...

With my arms stretched out east and west and slightly bent legs pointed south, I floated on air.  No, I flew.  I bobbled, I dipped and then I soared.  I flew.  I panicked, dropped then leveled myself out.  I flew.  I found it kind of hard to breathe with the weight of the air snatching what little was still enough to breathe, so I opened my mouth to compensate.  I flew!  And then I flew some more.   What seemed like forever was actually two of the scariest, most exhilarating minutes of my entire life.  And then it was over... until my second two-minute round to fly.  This time one of the instructors grabbed me and took me for a ride that I could only describe as "terrifyingly awesome".  He was the Superman to my Lois Lane as we shot up through to the top of the tunnel seemingly at the speed of light and then descended to ground level just as speedily.  My heart raced, my stomach was doing jumping jacks as we went through this free-fall cycle a total of three times.  So scary, but so incredibly awesome!

And then it was over.  I couldn't keep myself from laughing.  I was so proud of myself for having pushed the envelope and dared to venture outside my comfort zone big time.  I had accepted the challenge of indoor skydiving and conquered it.  And I actually liked it!  Wow, who woulda thunk it?

Visibly proud of himself for successfully concocting a well-received mission, Birthday Boy sat back and watched it all unfold.  He told me later that the group of onlookers he was seated with bust out laughing when I went on my tandem free-fall with the instructor.  I figured as much as I knew my eyes grew as big as saucers when we made the first, volatile ascent.  At first, the thought of people - strangers - laughing at the sight of me being stricken with fear left me beside myself.  But that moment was brief as I knew there was no malice behind that and I ended up laughing at the thought of them laughing at me.  I simply let it all go.  A reoccurring lesson, as I've said before, that keeps on popping up in my life.  A lesson I have learned many times over.  And this time around, I had a mighty good time learning it!  #ThanksBB!