I never had a fear of wedging my hips securely in place by the seatbelt of a hurtling human sardine can; it’s something I do every other week. In fact, whenever possible, I tuck into the window seat so I can survey God’s wonder passing below the cumulonimbus puffs of air on which I ride towards my destination of the moment. I swore for the longest time that my dream career was not consultant or writer, but rather, commercial airline pilot. Neither turbulence nor icy wings could dissuade my opinion that airplanes are the most miraculous of vehicles. I have picnicked at Gravelly Point for hours just to hear the deafening roar of engines pushing tin.
Why then, do I suddenly find my heart in my throat with each spontaneous ding of the fasten seatbelt sign or decrease in the decibels emitted by the motors? Because at 30, my iceberg of invincibility is just beginning to melt. In all my infinite happiness it is only now that I am able to conceive of what I would be leaving behind, God forbid something were to happen to me. And in an environment where I have absolutely no control over my own safety, regardless of the odds, my mind starts to wander.
The fears however, will never stop me from continuing to duck into those speeding metal cabins of fascination. Like I said, it's just...what I do.
Why then, do I suddenly find my heart in my throat with each spontaneous ding of the fasten seatbelt sign or decrease in the decibels emitted by the motors? Because at 30, my iceberg of invincibility is just beginning to melt. In all my infinite happiness it is only now that I am able to conceive of what I would be leaving behind, God forbid something were to happen to me. And in an environment where I have absolutely no control over my own safety, regardless of the odds, my mind starts to wander.
The fears however, will never stop me from continuing to duck into those speeding metal cabins of fascination. Like I said, it's just...what I do.
3 comments:
Likewise, I love flying!
Part of me wishes I had become a pilot, but oh well. Playa will do.
On my honeymoon, we had to "puddle jump" in a little twin-engine 6-seater. I allowed my wife to ride in the co-pilot's seat. (she was white-knuckled the whole way...I was simply jealous sitting in the back of the plane)
On the way back, we hit turbulence so bad the pilot hit his head on the roof of the plane. "Don't worry," he said, "they can't knock us down".
My honeymoon is going to be in 3 different locations around Africa/Europe. I'm expecting similar experiences...and I too will be riding in the front...
Should be a blast, in my opinion.
The pilot even let my wife take the wheel of the plane for a few mins (he probably would have let her fly the whole way if she wouldn't have freaked out about it + I think he was hitting on her)
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