Flying

I did it!

It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done. Giving birth was the only thing that trumps falling out of an airplane 15,000 feet above the earth. First of all, the only scary part was heading up in the airplane thinking about what I was about to do. From the moment my tandem master (the guy strapped to my back) hung me out the door of the plane for about 5 seconds before he pushed me even further out into the wild blue sky, there was no fear. I screamed because that was the least I could do to express what I was feeling. Let’s see what the thesaurus has to offer: exhilaration, joy, delight, glee, euphoria, jubilation, exultation. There should be a separate word that means, “the feeling of exhilaration one gets from falling out of an airplane.”

I think I’ll have a contest to see who can come up with the best word. You can enter as many times as you like and the winner gets a prize.

Sky diving is all about that moment of falling out of the plane. There’s more to it, obviously, but that is the pinnacle of the whole experience.

I didn’t jump, by the way. I had no more choice about jumping out of that airplane once I was in it than I did about giving birth once I was pregnant. The free fall was amazing and I tried my hardest to stay as aware as I could. I wanted to burn the experience into my brain so I’ll remember it between now and the next time I jump. I saw the earth below me but it wasn’t zooming in on me so I had no fear of going splat. Apparently, I was falling at 150 mph but that fact was completely lost on me while it was happening.

The wind was strong pushing up against me and I was looking all over at the earth. It felt like I was on some sort of ride. I didn’t get that I was just a body hurtling down toward the ground. Because I jumped from 15,000 feet, the free fall lasted 65 seconds. It was luxuriously long. And then suddenly my feet went from out behind me to right underneath me and I felt like I was sitting in a chair. The chute was open and we were floating.

It got very quiet so I could chat with my tandem master. We acknowledged what a gorgeous day it was, how I could float around up there all day and that I was afraid I’d popped an ear drum. (Turns out I didn’t.)

The floating felt familiar somehow but I have worked hard to try to relate it to something and I’m coming up blank.

We did some spinny things where either the top of us or the bottom of us, I couldn’t tell, spun around pretty fast. It was fun while we were doing it, sort of disorienting, but I paid for it later with yet another bought of queasiness.

And then it was time to land and I felt sadness right before my feet touched the ground. It was over. It was amazing and then it was over. I’m so grateful. I can’t wait to do it again!!!

If any of you have gone sky diving before, I’d love to hear your stories!