Surrender

I just got home after jumping out of a plane.

Again.

That’s right. I came back for more after last year’s experience.

And today was even more amazing.

I stayed present the whole time and so got to experience the initial head-first dive from the place before we (Yes, we. I’m Team Tandem all the way!) leveled out. My biggest regret the first time was that my brain shut down for the first few seconds. Understandable, it thought I was trying to do it in, but disappointing. I’m glad it behaved better today.

I knew more what to expect this time, so I wasn’t caught off guard by the noise of the wind (it’s LOUD when you’re going 122 mph!!!) and I remembered to breathe (always important) during free fall.

I got to do some insane spins, which is basically like being on a carnival ride 8,000 ft above the surface of the earth. Pretty cool stuff:)

I went with a friend who was doing his solo graduation dive at the same time as my tandem. My instructor asked if I wanted to work on my solo certification too.

“No. I’m an overthinker by nature. And what I love about this is that it’s total surrender. If I was on my own, I would be in my head, not in the sky.”

There’s something so powerful about surrender.

About letting go of struggle and focusing on nothing more than the breath.

It’s a reminder of how much of our distress is caused not by our situation, but in our stubborn efforts to fight the situation.

I spotted this sign in the bathroom right before my jump.

I wasn’t then.

But I am now.