Learning to Fly Without Wings

When our friend Claude flew in from Alabama several months ago in his P51 Mustang, it was quite an event at our local airport. You just don't see P51 Mustangs all that often, and if you do, you usually don't get to get close to them.

While my husband and I were waiting their among his flying buddies, he made the comment that the plane should be arriving any minute since the weather was good, and as he put it "dead calm".

I quickly heard one of the other retired Air Force pilots correct him as the others chimed in, "Never say dead calm buddy, in our vernacular, it's perfectly calm". I quickly figured the one thing pilots were superstitious about was phrasing their vocabulary positively, since dying while flying is always a risk.

This phrase is now permanently etched in my brain as "what not to say when you are around pilots". I love the concept, although it doesn't happen often, it's certainly something to enjoy for a moment. Shortly after the comment, I could hear the P51 engine overhead and was the first to spot the plane approaching the airport. I love that sound!

I spotted Claude shortly with a huge grin on his face, as always and captured him on film. When he saw how narrow the taxiway was the smile got even bigger. His plane was a little tricky to maneuver to the hangar, but as always, he made the best of it and parked perfectly outside so the guys could mill around and enjoy the moment.

He insisted I get in to see how it felt, then offered to take my husband up for a real flight, the thrill of his lifetime. He commented that his seat was a parachute, not really comfortable, but necessary.

I imagined that as they climbed higher they didn't concern themselves with what any one on the ground was doing. It was a slice of heaven, two friends having a few moment of sheer adrenalin.

The experience was a reminder to me that every day I need to make room for special times and reorder my priorities to what is important: living life on the highest plane.

I found that waiting for the arrival created a greater desire to fly myself, to overcome my fears, and to challenge myself to be really grateful for the special moments in life! Each day holds new experiences, for which we can be grateful.

So as you also free yourself to imagine, anticipate, enjoy, and experience every season you have! Life is not static, as we adjust our attitude, I believe we increase our altitude in life.

Here are a few suggestions to gain altitude:

1) Make a list first thing in the morning of everything you are grateful for, while you are sipping your first morning coffee. Pause and think about those things before you jump into your day.

2) Before you go to bed at night, work on your "To Do" list for the next day, and right down at least 5 things so they are off your mind. While you sleep, your mind will process those things with no effort.

3) As you wake up the next day, you will find life ordering itself around the things that really matter, and your thoughts will be drawn to what is right and good in your world.

Go back to #1). Hopefully, you will have more to think about that you are grateful for.

When you do this regularly, you will find your life in balance, and the "To Do" list accomplished quickly.

Then you, too, will be less apt to worry about things on the ground and instead let your heart be set on things above like the pilot of a P51. Enjoy life, really live in the moment, and from time to time you too, may experience perfect calm!