Boy Are We in for a Ride!
I've done some pretty thrilling things in my life--and one of the most heart-stopping, throw-caution-to-the-wind choices was to jump out of the door of an airplane at about 3200 feet. Was I scared? That's the really interesting part.
In my mind, I was totally confident that after five hours of training, and watching my fiancé (now my husband) jump nearly 100 times, that I was perfectly ok with it, filled with excitement and anticipation, and raring to go.
However, I was the smallest person on the little Cessna we used to jump from, and I was in the tail; the very last to go, and alone on the plane with just the pilot and the Jump Master.
I was on my hands and knees, ready to move forward to the door, but my rig was caught on something. I couldn't move. I turned my head to see what I was stuck on, and realized there was nothing there but my pack.
I was frozen with fear; rooted to the spot. "But I'm not afraid," I reminded my Self, puzzled. Apparently my "Self" had other feelings about what I had decided to do.
The Jump Master encouraged me to move forward, and somehow I shuffled forward on leaden hands and feet where I could see the ground passing below us like an oil painting of a pastoral scene. I had to go NOW or I'd never be able to make it back to the drop zone.
The Jump Master had my drogue (mini-chute) in his hand and told me to go. I climbed out on the strut below the door, and hung on for dear life to the leading edge of the wing, trying to look up at the video camera mounted to my right with a smiley face on it that said, "Hi Mom!".
The wind was unbelievably strong and I was CONVINCED I would be blown off the wing before I was in place. My hands were freezing and I knew I couldn't hold on much longer. I reminded myself that this was supposed to be FUN, and that I had wanted to be here for many years. This was my chance to get the adrenalin and life force flowing and give myself a HUGE test.
Finally I was in place, barely able to grasp the wing with my stiff fingers. I looked over at the Jump Master and he gave me the signal. I was SO relieved to be able to just fall back in the "star fish" position I'd been taught, and watch the plane zip away and become tiny above me.
I'd barely even had the chance to enjoy my 6-second free-fall, and WHAM! My chute opened and I was popped straight up in the air, the harness tugging wherever it touched my body. I'd done it! I was drifting back to earth in a huge swing, not a sound but the wind in the riser. It was a glorious moment, and worth every second of the terror I'd felt as I prepared to let go the plane.
And not only did I absolutely LOVE pulling the toggles, first the right, then the left, swinging to and fro in the crisp blue sky as it looked on at my triumphant descent, I never wanted it to end. I had taken so long to deplane, though, that I was a long way from the drop zone and the instructor on the ground was talking me down via the radio on my chest.
I reluctantly followed his instructions, saw my mark, and floated lower and lower, into the wind. Then, about 20 feet up, I pulled sharply down on both toggles, nearly stopped, then, light as a fairy, my feet touched the ground and I WALKED a couple of steps until my chute collapsed behind me. I was ELATED! I had landed standing up!!! It was EASY!!! A bubble of glee launched in my throat and I was transformed.
You know, nearly everything in life that I have feared, has turned out the same. I was fearful, anxious, nervous, lost sleep, visualized myself failing, wondering "what if--", but I pushed on, sometimes having no clue what to expect.
Businesswoman, Friend, Collaborator, and Team player, Molly Chapman fulfills her Entrepreneurial Calling by offering a great service that enriches the lives of others. Together with other fellow BraveHeart Community members, her goal is to empower Women to be multi-dimensional success stories and inspiration to others. Be Sure to Visit: Be a BraveHeart Woman
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