Friday, October 1, 2010

New Beginnings

"No river can return to its source, yet all rivers must have a beginning."  ~Proverb

It was my day...  a day to realize my potential and believe in myself and my abilities.  As I approached this tiny tin can of an airplane, my heart raced.  It seemed like everything was moving in slow motion.  To those who didn't know me, I looked like any ordinary person at the airport just walking around the plane doing a basic preflight inspection.  To those who did know me, I looked like a student who was about to experience "the moment."  I knew I had family and friends and coworkers cheering me on silently as I taxied out...  all I could hear was my heartbeat.  As uneventful as it could possibly be, I took off.  In all my confidence, I took time to really look around as I put distance between myself and the ground.  What a beautiful morning.  A glorious sunrise, no wind and the sound of a well oiled engine...  All of my senses were coming to life.  I lined up on final approach for landing.  All that really stood between me and a successful landing were some old rubber tires, oh and all that I had learned in 8 hours of flight instruction!  This was it...  the moment had arrived.  I floated down to the earths' surface and kissed it like a Mom would kiss her newborn baby.  I DID IT!  I soloed an airplane.  My view on life and myself changed in that moment.  I knew the possibilities were endless.  It was true.  You could have a dream, set out after it and achieve it.  All my life I had heard people speak of their dreams.  It was like they were something to be thought of but never realized.  I repeated that moment 2 more times that hour, just to solidify that I had a part in controlling my destiny.  

I taxied in with the biggest grin on my face...  but no pilot wants it to seem like it was really as big of a deal as it was.  Calm as a cucumber, I parked and shut down the airplane.  After securing her to the ramp, I approached my fan base.  No holding back now, I smiled as big as my cheeks would allow and shared in that moment with the people who loved me the most.  It was Valentines Day 2000.  A dozen roses awaited me from a long time family friend and pilot from my fathers Air Force squadron.  So all this time, these people knew what I didn't know and never told me?  It was within me the whole time...

You can believe in yourself!  It isn't self-centered or cocky to think that you have what it takes to do whatever you set your mind to.  It isn't too late to begin.  The days of your life is the storybook that not only give people the image of who you are, but gives you the courage to dare to live that dream.  Dreams are real and this is your journey.  When you take that next step, don't just take it to take it...  Take it to move toward something!  Let this be "the moment!"






4 comments:

  1. You are, and have been, an inspiration to me for years!! I love you so much and I'm so proud that you are sharing your gifts with the world!!
    -Charity

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  2. Ahhh, Char! Always my biggest fan... Thanks for the lovely note:)

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  3. Heidi~ You are so awesome and such an inspiration!

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  4. Hi! Stopping by from MBC. Great blog.
    Have a nice day!

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