To Fly With The Birds And Land Among Men

We noted at one point that we were falling rather slowly and did this spiral thing that almost caused me to lose my lunch. I expressed as much to Stuart and he ceased the rapid spiral decent. Otherwise, the 'chute ride was just breath-taking. I swear I had my arms out on either side, head tilted back and just flew the entire way down, the same way that hawks and other great birds of prey float on the air, hardly moving, that was me.

I thought mildly of the scene in the most recent version of Titanic when they're on the tip of the boat, her arms out to her side and she gasps, "I'm flying!". She was not flying. This was flying. I never wanted it to end. ::turn:: ::glide:: ::turn:: ::breathe:: You can see *so* far. "Which tree do you want to land in, Rain?" That one with the white flowers, please. ::laughter:: "Without skipping a beat. I like that." ::glide::

And there's Carly, her guy gathering up the parachute, and I can see her so clearly and we're landing right over their heads. Feet up! "Stand." So I did and we landed perfectly. Perfectly. And then him being shorter than me is an issue and I'm doing a backbend to stay vertical and the videographer is there asking me how was it. All I could thinking about was my sinuses and the awfulness of the free fall and the beauty of the glide and I can only mumble. There are no words. Whatever words that did actually come out are lost on the video and then he says hug Stuart for saving my life.

"Oh, god, he really did.... save my life."

And I fiercely hug him and the camera is off and away. I lay down on the ground, Jacque's still coming. And just breathe. And look at the clouds. And wonder.

I am so going again.