Falling with Style

As a kid I had a recurring dream where I could fly. Even in dream form, flying was the coolest feeling and I always wanted to know what it really felt like. Skydiving seemed like the nearest thing and since I was a teenager I've wanted to try it. Like a lot of our dreams, though, I put this one in the fridge to marinate and as life got busier it got pushed to the back and I forgot about it.

Shortly after Eloise was born I was thinking a lot about life. Feeding a newborn gives you ample time to think about whatever you want. Call it postpartum shut-in syndrome, mid-twenties soul searching or whatever you like but I was feeling very unsettled. As I stepped back a little, I remembered the motto that Richard and I try to live by, Enjoy to the End. I was enduring life but not enjoying it. Life is short but it's also shallow if you don't bring your own depth to it. I started thinking a lot about my goals and dreams I had yet to fulfill, skydiving being one of them. I realized that if I waited too long to go I might miss the opportunity. I would have more kids, an even busier life, and there was a good chance that I wouldn't even want or be able to go. I needed to just go for it. But how many young mothers do you know that leave their little kids at home with a babysitter and then go jump out of a plane? I had a major internal struggle going on and it wasn't an easy decision to make. 

After doing some research on skydiving death stats and learning that the likelihood was next to zero, (and that I was at a much greater risk of dying from a bee sting or being struck by lightning and that even driving down to go skydive was more dangerous) I started feeling a little better about the whole thing. Somewhere along the way, Richard jumped on board, too. He thought I was nuts when I first told him I was serious about going. But the more excited I got the more interest he showed. I guess he didn't want me to have all the fun.

We got it on the calendar and went on with our crazy summer schedule. I actually wasn't too afraid of going as it got closer, but I was afraid that something would get in the way. As it so happened it was threatening to rain all morning, but luckily the skies cleared right before we went and we couldn't have asked for a better, more beautiful day.

I have to mention my drive down to the Ogden airport. I was listening to the radio and every song that came on had the most absurdly ironic lyrics. I even changed the station at one point and I still couldn't get away from them.

     

     she went down in an airplane (50 Ways to say Goodbye)

     if I could fall into the sky (1000 Miles)

     that's where I'm gonna go when I die (Spirit in the Sky)

If I had been a superstitious person I would have turned the car around and gone home. Instead, I laughed to myself and pulled in to the parking lot.

The training went a lot faster than we thought it would and we sat around for most of the time just waiting for our turn. We filled out paperwork or more accurately signed our lives away. Then eventually they called our names and we got geared up.

Hanging out in the hanger.

My tandem instructor was Fish from South Africa. I had to ask him where he was from because of his awesome accent. I really liked him. He asked me if I was nervous and I said "a little." And he said "Me, too." That's skydive humor for you. At least I hoped he was joking. But he really knew his stuff and at least triple checked my harness between the ground and the sky.

Every step of the way I kept thinking I should be freaking out. I should be scared spit-less. But I wasn't. I was just so excited! Even on the plane as we got closer and closer to altitude (12,000 ft) I was just thinking how beautiful everything below us was and how pretty soon I was going to see it all up close and personal and not just behind a little plane window. The only time I kind of gulped was when they slid the door open.

Everything went pretty fast after that. The single jumpers started disappearing and then before I could blink, all I saw was the top of Richard's head going out the door!

And then it was my turn. I crouched down with my toes hanging over the edge, like I had been instructed to do, and with a swift ready, set, go we were out. We did a back flip and I admit I closed my eyes because I hate going upside down! But that was over instantly and then we were free falling at 120 mph. It didn't feel like we were falling, though, but more like wind was rushing past us.

You would think that plummeting to the earth, as we were doing, wold be hectic. But instead, time stood still or so it seemed to. Our favorite part was falling through the clouds. It was absolutely breathtaking. Literally in Richard's case. He said he couldn't breathe for a few seconds until he stopped tensing and relaxed a little.

 It was one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had! You could see forever and it was exactly what I imagined flying would be like.

It may not have been flying but as close as we'll ever get. The parachute opened and in a way I felt like it was all over. It was such an abrupt change and I no longer had that free, weightless feeling like nothing was holding me back (which was so cool) but instead it was calm and peaceful (which was also cool in a different way). I got to take my goggles off and steer the parachute for awhile. It was spectacular! I was relieved when I saw that Richard's chute had also opened and a little later I saw him successfully land. All that was left was my landing.

Fish told me that when it came time I would need to raise my legs as if I was going down a slide or if he told me to I would stand up, depending on how we were coming in to land. We ended up sliding in and that was that!

We were both on an adrenalin high for a long time after. Days even. And we still have a hard time believing we actually went.

I'm so happy  that we did it together.

And I am thrilled that I got to live my dream. I did it. I flew!