Life is like a Skydive

Back when I was young and reckless, I took it upon myself to do a skydive from 13,000 feet. I justified my craziness by doing this for charity, knowing that no matter what happened, someone, somewhere, would benefit from one of my many lunatic moments.

However, over the years I have realized that skydiving is a lot like life, and during difficult moments, I sometimes use this photo to give myself back some perspective. Now, is one of those times.

1 Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to.

Before getting in the plane with the man I was about to strap myself to, I asked, "Have you had any accidents!" What was I thinking? My instructor proceeded to tell me stories that made me feel sick. What bones hadn't he broken? How long was that coma?

Who am I strapping myself to in life?

2. If you don't fall, you can't fly.

When the plane got to the right altitude, I had a complete change of heart, and no longer wanted to exit the plane. Strapped to someone that was familiar with a persons fear of plunging to their death was of little comfort. Begging for my life had no effect on him, and he pushed and pushed me till I was at the opening of the plane. With my legs dangling over the side, my heart raced and I REALLY DIDN'T want to do this anymore. Then the instructor said to me, "Stop thinking of this as falling and start thinking of it as flying." At the time his words were complete madness, but he was right. I all too often think of my problems in life as being falls and crashes. But without jumping in with my whole heart I can never fly.

3. Without some rules it's easy to get into trouble.

I was rolled out of the plane, and the same feeling you get on a roller coaster came over me for a moment, and then, with nothing around me to make a judgement with, I lost all sense of how fast I was falling. Kinda like how fast things can escalate in our lives. I held my mouth in the grimace I was told to, to prevent my lips from being blown in every direction. I also held my body in the pose I was told to so that I would keep control and have no fears of getting tangled when it was time to pull the chute. How many times in life do we have to grimace and get through something? And just like holding the pose would keep me out of danger, rules in life keep us out of harms way.

4. Sometimes I need a big jolt to remind me to enjoy the view.

And just like life, this free fall had it's jolt. I hadn't been warned how it would feel when the chute was first pulled. It was like slamming on the brakes. The straps jerked tight around my thighs and I was pulled upwards as the silk of the parachute caught the wind. It was then, and only then, with a big jolt and my decent slowed down, that I took in the amazing view around me.

Sometimes in life we are moving so fast that we forget to enjoy whats right before us and I was guilty of this when hurtling to my doom below! Now, at a slower pace I noticed how the fields looked like a patchwork quilt, threaded by hedgerows. I felt a gentle dampness on my face as we drifted thru clouds. All was silent. As busy as the world was below me, I heard none of it, only the slight rustle of the parachute above. PEACE.

5. We all need something to hold on to.

With toggles in my hand, I used them to guide me to the landing area. Calmly I could turn this way and that, knowing that doing so would lead me to a place I could land safely. So what things am I holding onto in life to guide me to where I want to be? Each thread from the toggles to the chute have a purpose, and they don't control us, they are there to help us travel thru the air in safety. So I would have to say that my threads are God, my family & Friends. No occupation, possession, hobby, or obsession has defined me as a person or helped me be who I want to be. Only those I love, and who really love me have kept my feet where they have needed to be, and re-directed me when I have travelled off course. So note to self...am I being a reliable thread in someone else's chute? Am I constant and dependable? Food for thought.

6. Was it worth it?

ABSO-FLIPPIN-LUTELY!!!! Don't get me wrong...being no expert at landing meant there was a little bump at the end, but the fall was worth the flight. Anyone who knows me will know that I HATE problems. I'm a self proclaimed pansy and thats okay. But even a whiney baby like me can't deny that problems are a part of life, and as much as I hate them, I would be far less of a person without them. Thru my problems, I have come to know who my friends really are. Thru problems I have found that God is more loyal to me then I have been to Him. Thru problems I have become a little stronger, or had a little more understanding and compassion for another.

So what am I saying, and who am I saying this to? Well I'm giving myself a pep talk really, and reminding myself of what I already know. Because whats the point of a forgotten experience? And what I'm trying to say is, The jump is scary so Grimace, Hold on to something and...fly!

The best father in law EVER!

I have been blessed to have a wonderful father in law. You can't know him and not totally love him.

I had been on one date with Arlan when he asked me to call him Dad! LOL No pressure or anything. But Dad is what his name became, and a Dad is very much what he has been. I just love him.

My favorite memory of Dad is when Arlan and I were going on a date. He sat with us both, but spoke to Arlan. It was the sweetest thing I have ever seen, to see a father tell his son that he raised him the right way and to treat me with complete respect and honor my virtue or answer to him!

Even though we were grown up, and we have both been married before, there were no giggles or feeling silly. Arlan admires his dad completely and often says he is still only a small chip off a large block. He loves who his dad is and what he stands for.

As for me, I was taken back a little at first, but in no way felt like we were being treated like children. I felt respected. And judging by the amazing husband I have in my life, I don't think it would be a bad thing for more Dads to sit down with their sons and tell them how to treat women.

Dad is an author of A gathering of wolves, and The blind ladys sword.

My Missionaries

What you see and what you get

I think people are a lot like Icebergs, myself included. Not because we can give the cold shoulder, or give icy comments, or any other pun you can think of.

As I saw this picture of an Iceberg today, I just kept thinking that the tip of the Iceberg is the part of us that we show to the world. In itself, the tip is magnificent and bright, but we all know that the tip is not nearly as strong, deep, powerful or amazing as the part that is hidden beneath the waves.

So often in my life I have done things that have been misinterpreted, or I have felt misunderstood and judged, a good intention wasn't received as well as I had hoped, and I seem to have both feet in my mouth most days. I know I can't be the only person on the planet to feel that way, and the Iceberg got me thinking...how much time to I take to look beneath the waves at the Icebergs around me?

Icebergs are an appropriate object to use, because they can be cutting and even deadly, and sometimes relationships can be a little that way too. I know I have been thrashed against a few in my time. It's all too easy for me to play the blame game and hold the Iceberg responsible for everything, but really, I have to take blame too. I want people to understand me, make allowances, forgive, and love me. Not just the tip, but the whole of me. I want people to put their head in the water and understand every inch of me.

So it's time for me to buy a pair of goggles and dive down deep so I can be a better wife, mother, daughter, friend and neighbor to those around me.

So I guess the moral of all this is that what I see isn't the whole picture, and I can't judge an Iceberg by the little part I see.