Today was a milestone, a titanic-sinking-sized-milestone, I skydived today. I fell 13,000 feet and landed safely on the ground. I defied every per-conceived notion I had about myself today, and conquered a part of me I only dreamed of. I was the kid at the swim class that didn't have the guts to jump off the diving board. I was the guy who didn't have the balls to get on a roller coaster. Now, I'm the man with giant cojones that fell back to Earth.
You can change who you are. All it takes is the will and the belief you can rise above something as petty as fear. Nothing is impossible if you resolve to do it. I am living proof of that.
The entire day had the subtle mixing of anxious and excited deep in my gut, a very unsettling cocktail. My girlfriend rode the bus into town to see me jump (what a doll), and all day I couldn't shake the nervous energy. It stayed with me. Watching the clock creep closer to jump time. Well, that was until I pulled into Kapowsin Airsports, and suddenly that all disappeared and I hit a sort-of zen appreciation of all that was happening. That calm excitement never faded.
I geared up, followed my instructor on the plane, and we rode up to the dizzying height of 13,000 feet. We were going to be the last one's out of the plane, this excited me. As we scooted across the cabin of the Cesna towards the open door all I could think was "I am really about to jump out of this plane." Next thing I know my feet are dangling out of this little single engine vessel and there is miles of Shelton Washington below me. My instructor then starts the rocking...3...2..1 and WOOOOSH there I am in the sky free-falling back to Earth. We reached a top speed of 154 mph during our descent, and before I knew it he had hit the rip cord and the parachute had done its duty. He allowed me to steer and bank our parachute and eventually we made it back to earth. The entire time I was out of the plane and back on the ground was a mere 54 seconds. In less than a minute I had experienced over 2 miles of sky and an adrenaline pump like never before.
The grin has yet to leave my face.
I grabbed my certificate, bought a milkshake in the cafe, and went to tell my Mom what I had just done. She appreciated I hadn't told her before hand.
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.
-BB Out
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