True Love

May 10, 2008

Over the past several months I have spent more time traveling by air than by ground. No, I am no pilot. I am just a road warrior. This morning I am once again traveling by air. As I look out my window during take off the sun is just in the process of rising. The familiar glowing red is just beginning to peak over the horizon. The city lights are still on, and at 0530 on a Saturday morning most people are still enjoying their sleep.

No matter how many times I fly I continue to be amazed by the sky and by planes. Perhaps it is because I date a pilot. He flies a Cesna 170 and a sail plane. He also jumps out of perfectly good airplanes. I have made that plunge one time and while it was an amazing experience it is not one I plan on repeating anytime soon. Maybe I will jump again on my 80th birthday. As the flight crew says the all to familiar words, “we have now reached a cruising altitude of 10,000 feet.” “It is safe to use your electronic devices such as ……” I look out the window and recall the day I jumped out of a plane at 14500 and think…”What in the he*$@) was I thinking!” It was a glorious day though. My friends have said, “that is true love when you jump out of an airplane just to give your squeeze a 10 grand kiss.”

I look at the sky from an even different light now. I have always been enamored by its beauty_whether clear or stormy. And even as an adult I love trying to find images in the clouds. However now, thanks to Gerry, when I look at the sky I have other thoughts as well. I see a soaring sky with beautiful tall cumulus clouds, or a Cessna sky with calm winds and sunshine…I also see a skydiving blue sky. Flying nor skydiving are my sports but they are Gerry’s sports. And now (after 40+ years) I have really learned what love is….It is looking at the sky and the world with your lover’s heart in mind before your own.