Words of the Master

By GrahamLewis · Jul 7, 2020 · ·
  1. As I mentally prepared for my upcoming solo skydive this past weekend, I kept thinking of the TaeKwonDo blog entry by @O.M. Hillside and my response to it. Specifically, I described how I let fear control me, rather than trusting my teacher’s evaluation of my ability. I resolved that no matter what it feels like as I prepare to jump, I will trust that when my Master told me I was ready, I would go, regardless of any fears. In the case of TKD, it had been Master Kim, a veteran and highly-regarded teacher; in the case of skydiving, it would be Bo, a competent and experienced skydiver.


    The morning classes were quite rigorous, a lot of simulated jumps from various devices, and a lot of video and teaching about what to do, and what could go wrong. A lot of mental preparation stuff --mnemonics about how to control your animal reactions, and about the steps to take. The temperature was around 90, the sun beat down from a bright blue sky, and whenever we were outside the sweat ran down my brow. I wished I had brought a sweatband.


    Funny, I thought, how hard it can be to remember the simple things under pressure -- I quickly learned the “Circle of Awareness” to be gone through as soon as one left the plane: Heading, Altitude, Body position, and to Breathe.” But for some reason it was hard to recall them on command. The same with the evaluation of an open parachute, “the three S’s”: is it Square, Steerable, and Stable? (even now, in the stillness of my kitchen, I had to search a few moments for the third element).


    And so on.


    The physical parts were even more demanding, making sure I knew where the main ripcord was, the reserve, and the cut-off mechanism activator if the main chute goes bad. Hard to remember to look, and exactly where they were. And all the hand signals I should make, and that my accompanying instructors would make.


    And so on. I started thinking about @Iain Aschendale and @EFMingo, and thinking what it would be like if this were a military organization and I had to learn all no matter what, and learn it well. I envisioned long hours of drills until I got it right or died trying. But we didn’t have long hours of drills, only this one morning. Oh well, I thought, and again resolved to leave all the year evaluations and decisions to Bo.


    For the first time ever I felt old at my 70 years. I was at least 30 years older than my cohorts (and all but one of my instructors) and I sensed how much slower some of my reaction times were than theirs. And my body felt more tired and sore than I thought it should, but they all seemed fine with it.


    After the morning classes we were given a written exam to complete. As I sat alone at a picnic table, Bo sat across from me. “I’ve been watching you, and I have some concerns.” We talked for awhile, and it soon became clear what his message was. “I’m not interested in making money,” he said, “I’m interested in safety. I just don’t think you’re able to do it.”


    As I had promised myself, I accepted his words at face value, hard though they were, and opposite to what I had envisioned. I don’t like to fail or to wash out.


    I next accepted his offer of doing a tandem dive instead, but one in which I played the primary role, including pulling the cord and all the rest including altitude checks and steering. At least I wouldn’t go home without a dive.


    And it was wonderful. Not the cramped ride to two miles up, but the cold buffeting wind and the patchwork farm field below, the bright blue sky and wispy clouds, the jerk of the opening main chute at 6,000 feet (I made sure it was Stable, Steerable, and Square), then the slow circling approach to the landing site, and the smooth sliding to earth.


    I think the Master was right, even though his words stung. Better to settle for disappointment than to die because of vanity. May not impress the ladies as much, but no point in impressing them by plunging to earth.
    love to read, jannert, Foxxx and 3 others like this.

Comments

  1. jannert
    Actually, this 71-year-old 'lady' is very impressed by your courage to accept guidance AND your good sense. I'm so glad you enjoyed the dive. You probably enjoyed it even more, knowing somebody else who knew the ropes was minding the shop.

    I am seriously never impressed by recklessness. You have just done a very impressive thing. And wrote about it very well, too. :)
  2. GrahamLewis
    Thanks, Jannert. True, if I'd been soloing I'd have spent the whole time trying to remember what to do next. But how cool it would be to literally "learn the ropes." BTW there are folks older than both of us who do it. Remember Bush Senior on his 90th?
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