Wow Michele, I so admire you for pushing past your fears and doing something so courageous. You are one amazing person. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. It inspires me to try to be braver in my own life. I still don't think I could jump out of a planeOriginally Posted by noni
And yes, I'm scared of heights, I'm not fond of planes, and I don't particularly care much for falling. So why skydive? Because there is a freedom inexpressible as you're dancing through the sky. An immediacy which cannot be captured on the ground - there is no past, no future; simply and only a NOW. It is a vital, true expression of living in the moment. It brings to me a soul-joy that I've never found anywhere else. I am whole, more me than at any time other. I am complete, in touch with something so far bigger than myself as I sail under my parachute, looking at the world spread below my feet. I dance on the breath of God, play with the falcons and touch clouds. That experience, that joy far far outweighs any fear I have about planes, falling, or heights.
Know what? Lots of people have fears. Know what else? If you're gonna die, you are gonna die. After jumping for about a year, I fell getting out of the bathtub. I broke two ribs, and bonked my head very badly. Had I not taken the fall the way I did, I could've knocked myself out, and drowned. I've also faced cancer since I started to jump; cervical cancer, and two surgeries later, I understand. If death comes knocking, we can't do a thing but answer the door.I respect what you do and admire you for it.....but i at this point have not conqured my fear of flying, falling, heights or death
You're more than welcome.It inspires me to try to be braver in my own life. I still don't think I could jump out of a plane --but it makes me think of all the times I don't take a chance because I am too afraid, and what great experiences I might be missing out on because I don't try. But when something seems "too hard," or "too risky", or "too scary", I can just think about you jumping out of that plane, "dancing on the breath of God." Thank you!
I certainly do. It's something I try to remind myself of almost every day. So well-said Michele.Originally Posted by noni
Makes living a whole lot less crazy, stressful, and so much less worry about things when one understands that it's not life or death....know what I mean?
Nope. Which is why this is so interesting. I started three years ago, when I was 36. So it's definitely something absolutely unexpected. I hadn't even really wanted to do it before I did it, and spent the first 30 or so jumps wondering when it would get fun, or if I should quit. Thankfully, both of those questions have been answered: it's very fun, and I'm not going to quit. But it's surprising that I ever started in the first place.Are you into extreme sports?
Know what? You go on and do it by yourself. I did; I knew no-one when I started jumping, not one single friend did it, and it was all by myself that I went jumping. You will be in the air without your friends anyway, so why not? Go on and give it a shot. Should you need a referral to a dropzone in your area, let me know, and I'll be happy to research it for you. Deal? But only if YOU want to do it. This is not something one starts because of someone else; this is a very personal choice. Most people won't ever go, and those that do go usually only go once. It really becomes a personal journey, and one which can only be started and completed by yourself. So make your decision about it for yourself, and carry it out. It's all good....whatever decision it is, it's fine and perfect.Originally Posted by adymarie
Skydiving is something I have always wanted to try, but I can't convince anyone to go with me! Looks like you love doing it.