Look… It’s a bird! It’s a plane!
Greetings, earthlings! Here is our blog about our recent adventure in Austin Texas
Look… It’s a bird! It’s a plane!
No! It’s StoweGood!
What started as an exercise in overcoming a fear of heights turned out to be something quite different! Who would have thought that indoor skydiving could lead to profound Spiritual Truths? We were tipped off to this state-of-the-art vertical wind tunnel adventure by Karen’s cousin Solomon, who facilitates corporate team building (something we are getting into ourselves). When he suggested we check out iFly Austin, we decided to overcome our many fears and go for it. Worries that we were too old, too scared or too out of shape were allayed by the staff, who told us that a local senior center brings residents all the time!
So we signed the waiver, took the class, and suited up in our oh-so-cute flight suits, complete with helmet, goggles and earplugs. Then with hearts pounding we followed our fearless leader Tex into the chamber.
As we watched those who would go before us enter the wind tunnel, where wind speeds could reach up to 167 mph, the lessons began.
Our comrade #1 seemed to be fighting the experience. As she flailed about, it was not a pretty sight. Tex gave her what he considered to be THE most important hand signal—BE STILL. Aaaahhhhh… and the moment she was, she was immediately supported by the wind and held aloft! Comrade # 2 began to get into trouble when he forgot the next most important lesson. Turns out the old adage, “Keep your head up” really pays off in the wind tunnel, as well as in life.
At last it was time for Karen to fly. Oh God, she thought, please don’t let me be too heavy for the wind… and don’t let me collapse from holding my breath… and don’t let me go unconscious so I miss the whole two minutes! Fortunately, Karen had a rock-n-roll mantra to hold onto:
Get Back From the Future, It’s time to turn around
Get back from the future ‘cause all you got is now!
Get Back From the Future (from StoweGood’s Love Lives On CD)
It must’ve worked. She was grinning the entire flight!
Then it was Stowe’s turn. As instructed, she entered the doorway, crossed her arms and leaned into it.
Lean into it, lean into it
Then let it go
Lean into it, lean I to it
Now I know
I can relax just a little bit
When I lean into it
Lean Into It (from StoweGood’s Love Lives On CD)
Stowe reports that the most profound experience came at the end of her second flight, when Tex grabbed hold of the back of her suit. As the wind pressure was raised, they FLEW up into the ceiling. “It was a wild ride!” she says, “and for some it could have been quite scary, but when I relaxed my body and trusted that Tex had my back, literally, I felt tears of gratitude for this amazing moment… and for my life.”
Now I’m flyin’ high
No, no, nothing gonna get me down
I’m flyin’ high, my feet are off the ground
Clear blue skies, such a pretty view
Flyin’ high—it’s what we were born to do
Flying High (from Flying High CD)
That’s all for now! Sending lots of love your way.
Fly High!
Karen & Stowe
