Just touched down on terra firma! Coming down from 15,000 ft., flying under a beautiful parachute with my co-pilot, Simeon Lott, strapped to my back, looking down on San Diego for the second time.
What a way to see planet earth and experience being part of the universe. Nothing compares. Nothing! Second time around is better! Scary? Maybe. Tentative? A little. Anxiety? Of course! But once you feel the cool atmosphere and the powerful wind in your face and moving 200 miles an hour, downward for one minute, with no chute yet. Then you pull the chord, the chute opens over your head, and you feel a slight jerk, which tells you you're safe. The chute has opened and you connect with the universe in a way that's only possible during a skydive.
The first time was tentative, just not knowing and everyone saying, "You're crazy. I wouldn't do that for a million bucks!" That same night after skydive you will experience a peaceful sleep and there comes an amazing peace, that we all long for. It's a peace that eliminates worries, stimulates security, balance and desire to be active and alive. Just the reverse of what you think to be the result of flying under the power of the atmosphere, the chute, and your own divine body.
Skydiving is the best high you'll ever have or had, and there's no down side. I have to correct that statement. Driving home from San Diego to Los Angeles, no matter what time it is -- not exactly a high. The next day after skydive, I'm walking 10 ft. off the ground and my energy is at an all-time high.
Your body has a great memory of pleasant activity and the stimulation of 15,000 ft. in the air is a stimulus, not only to the body, but also to the brain. I get this message from friends constantly, "I'm terrified of height." Yet I practice trapeze with ecstasy and on the count of 3 from my co-pilot, standing on the edge of an open door of the plane, looking at the earth below from 15,000ft., Simeon says "ready?" I don't have a choice do I? So we push off into the beautiful blue sky with only one thought, remember what my instructions are before boarding the plane.
When Simeon counts three, I know to jump, when he taps my shoulder once, I raise my arms to my shoulders and when he taps twice, I spread my arms out like a bird and then pull the chord. We have been flying free fall with no chute for one minute.
Now the chute opens, at this point we are floating in the atmosphere and I'm singing my Freefall song about a little less gravity and Simeon's snapping his fingers in time with my vocal and recording the song on his tiny camera on his wrist.
Now can you honestly say this challenge doesn't spark your imagination and even give you the hint of a thrill? It was a dare that put my mind dancing around the idea of just me, and a parachute, flying and physically, touching the universe.
There's something about being 91 that gives you "carte blanche" to try everything with in reason. For me, skydiving is within reason.
I'm going for my third! So you see, it's really never, never too late!
Earlier on Huff/Post50:
