The barrel and the waterfall

As half of my body hung out of the plane at 3000 feet I was thinking to myself what the ...... am I doing up here and how did I get talked into it. The flight instructor told us "its important to keep your leg close to the plane, any space can cause a suction and whip you from the plane before you're ready" I was thinking at this point "I don't think I'm ready and I don't think I will ever be ready, I want to go back down to the safe ground down there" At this point though, there was no turning back. What would my friends say if I chickened out? How would I be able to live with myself if I backed down now?

When you think at all logically, most would find it a bit strange to jump from a plane from 3000 feet when you really don't have to. What drives us to do such stupid things like this?

Most people don't like heights all that much. There's this feeling that you get deep within when looking over the edge. It's very uncomfortable!!! It's a small voice inside you that says "jump." Of course you know you're not going to jump, but there's this pull. "Maybe I really can fly?" "Maybe I will land on something reallllllly soft?" At any rate you are happy when you slowly back away and take the safe route down.

I don't think I will ever forget those 5 to 7 seconds of free fall after leaping from the plane. The freezing cold wind smashing against my body, every limb on my body attempting to grasp anything stable, the clouds surrounding me, the sound of my scream, and of course the joy of an intact parachute protecting me from the not so soft ground below me. In those few seconds I felt alive more than ever.

I was introduced for the first time in my life "real fear." I think up until that time I still believed I was invincible. Sure most people die after 120 or so years, but that didn't apply to me. I realized at that point why people do such stupid things like this. It feels great to be alive!!! Sometimes you have to walk the thin line to make yourself feel alive.

I learned my lesson though. Never again was I going to put my life on the line for such a cheap thrill. I'm glad I did it, but never again.

One year later I went to a Jimmy Buffet concert with a friend. They had this crane there, attached to it was a big rubber band. What's the chance of that thing breaking?? It looked pretty official. They even took credit cards. The crowd made the count down for us. 10...9...8...,
Boooingggg!!! That was a fun experience.

After that though I learned my lesson. I'm older now. I have learned a lot from life. Israel and Judaism has taught me new ways to get that same high. There is no way I would do anything like that anymore, no way!!! Well!!!!!!! I'm pretty sure!