Free falling at 120 mph

If you read my last post, you know that I have had a slew of doctor’s appointments over the last two months that shifted my perspective on life. As such, it gave me extra motivation to live my life to the fullest extent, starting now. I don’t want to waste any time. From pursuing dreams to growing deeper in faith and service to spending more time with family and friends who support me, I want to be present and live fully alive.

After receiving positive news from test results last Friday, I called my friend to see if she still wanted to go skydiving. Turns out, she’s as crazy as me, and still wanted to go jump out of a plane. We quickly found the next available appointment and scheduled our dive for Sunday morning. After a relaxing Saturday evening spent with some of our closest friends, my friend and I woke up and headed north to attempt this new activity.

The most surprising thing about my skydiving experience is that I was not nervous. Not even a little bit. I have never been a huge thrill seeker — rollercoasters were never my thing — yet, I was ready to jump out of a plane without even a tinge of hesitation. I can’t quite explain my headspace besides the fact that my newfound perspective must have removed any nerves I may have had. I looked at it objectively as if it was just another run-of-the-mill thing. I trusted the instructor. I was excited for the thrill. I was going to have an awesome experience with my best friend. What was there to be scared of?

I was sure the nerves would hit me once we were in the air. They didn’t. We loaded the small plane among skilled jumpers and took off until we reached ~13,000 feet. The view from the plane was beautiful and I enjoyed seeing the farmland below the clouds. Eventually, we hit our desired altitude, and it was time to jump. I excitedly walked to the open area of the plane. It wasn’t until my feet hung over the side of the door, when I felt the wind on my legs and my face, that I experienced nerves. For about five seconds, I thought, “Wow, this is a really crazy thing to do.” Then, I got my bearings, smiled at the cameraman, and took a tumble forward in the open air.

It’s hard to explain what free falling at 120 mph feels like. The first 20-30 seconds were filled with thrill and awe. The rush of the wind and the clouds beneath me was exhilarating. Yet, the next 20 seconds were painful. The pressure in my head was immense and my ears felt like they could explode at any minute. I did not enjoy that time, and wondered how long we would fall until the parachute would be pulled. I could not take the pressure. Once the parachute was pulled and I had a chance to pop my ears, I enjoyed the breathtaking view below me. Ohio farmland rolled through the valley as far as I could see. It was so peaceful at 10,000 feet above the ground. How beautiful was God’s creation. I could have stayed in that parachute for hours, but alas, the 4-5 minute descent came to an end, and I was back on the ground.

Overall, skydiving was a wonderful experience. The migraine that developed after was less than peaceful, but the experience was worth it. In my life, I have historically not been spontaneous. I am one to plan and over plan everything to make sure it goes off without a hitch. I plan to remove the anxiety around the unknown. Yet, on this purely spontaneous adventure we booked the day before, I had no anxiety. I jumped out of a plane willingly, without hesitation, without any anxiety. How unlike me. How cool.

God taught me a few things from this experience:

1. I need to be more spontaneous at times and put my trust in God. Wonderful things can happen when I trust and go with the flow instead of plan and panic.
2. It shouldn’t take a medical scare to find motivation to tackle my bucket list and dreams. I should pursue them fully each day.
3. I need to be more present in life and not just go through the motions. I need to live alive. I need to share the thrill of each moment with everyone I encounter and bring joy through spreading the gospel.
4. God’s timing is unique. Though I will never understand it, I must trust it.
5. Free falling at 120 mph is an incredible thrill, yet one I do not need to have again.