Here's a little write I did after my trapezing experience this past weekend. It was so much fun and I hope to do it again very soon.

Imitating Birds:
I nervously chalk my wrists and try not to rationalize. I climb the narrow 5 inch wide staircase, one step at a time and reach for the platform with a few other low hand holds wrapped in white rope. Up I climb with legs wobbling behind me. Like a puppet, I pull them up and force them straight under my body as I balance on the narrow platform with four other feet.

“Ok ready?” He asks as I rake my mind for memory of what I am suppose to do and give him a blank ghostly stare.

“Put your feet up front with toes to the very edge.” I do as he says but dare not glance beyond my toes to the 4 story drop below. I lean precariously off the small wood platform at a straight and severe angle entrusting myself to this complete stranger. I reach with all my effort for the bar sitting far off the 'cliff'. One other hand wraps around the other side of the bar and I’m fit to fly.

“Ready! Bend your knees. Hep—jump!” Straight up I lift as if in slow motion and then fall with the wind whizzing past me and I lose all thought of any meaning. Somewhere in the distance I faintly hear “legs up”. I do as told and before I know it I’m weightless and looking at my feet.

“Hands off!” The command says. Without thinking my hands also fly and I’m looking directly into the eyes of someone else who has a firm clasp on me. Suddenly I feel as if I’m on the biggest human swing and my breath is blown right out of my lungs and I become it—weightless and free. For several indelible seconds I feel an exhilarating love of my spirit and I smile. Before I can lather myself in it, I’m bobbing in a net that feels more like a bird’s nest and my adrenalin has me pumped up much higher than I actually am.

From this point on, I’d be envious of birds drifting in the circular currents of the wind high above the rolling dry, teddy-bear brown fields. I’ve always wanted to fly and this was a big tasty slice of what freedom in the sky feels like. I’m hooked!