Oh How Things Have Changed... Or not

"Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss." Douglas Adams

The year was 1992, it was a beautiful fall day at the Charles County Fair. I was estatic for having just won the fair's 'spelling bee' by spelling the word cat C-A-T. The sun was just about to set and everything was glorious. And then someone suggested we ride the Ferris Wheel. WHAT?! That thing? But it goes so high?! "I think I'll stay behind with mommy" Nope, my dad wanted me to go on the Ferris Wheel. So what did I do? Kicked, screemed, dug in my heels and threw a fit. Was forced onto the ride and hung on tight with eyes closed for most of the ride. I was convinced at one point to open them but quickly realized my mistake... we were at the top of the ride and shook like a leaf the whole way down till they let me off.

Fast forward 19ish years, it's another glorious day (a little hot but with a slight breeze) I'm now in the middle of no where Texas, surrounded by dry (very dry) corn feilds ... suiting up to go skydiving. Willingly. I actually payed money for the opportunity to fall to my death (maybe). No kicking. No screaming. Not even butterflies in the stomach. As I'm waiting to board the plane I'm thinking of what I got myself into. Yikes! Then we're boarding the plane and the professioanl skydivers are calling me crazy cause I say I didn't feel any fear and am laughing along with their jokes. Inside I'm thinking - Yep I'm crazy and terrified and I want off this plane ... to bad the only way off is to jump. Then the divers are gone and we're making our way to the door of the plane and I look down ... Holy macaroni that's high -14,000 feet high. And then we're out of the plane, flying through the air with the greatest of ease. My eyes wide open (most of the time) no butterflies, just freedom.

I still won't look when I'm at the top of a Ferris Wheel (or any other high ride). But I will jump out of a plane again. I faced my fear of heights and have found that it's just heights that will hurt me, not kill me, if I fall that scare me. Go figure.