Fear of flying (my version)

"Is there anything as horrible as starting on a trip? Once you're off that's all right, but the last moments are earthquake and convulsion, and the feeling that you are a snail being pulled off your rock." Anne Morrow Lindbergh

I guess I'm a little sentimental. I've already said goodbyes to friends, but my tradition before any leave taking is to walk on the beach at dusk and say goodbye to the sand, the sea oats, the surf - my other friends here on the island. Tonight I also got to say goodbye to the moon and its light on the columns of waves marching toward shore and two dolphins playfully disobeying those orders to fall in line. As I left, my heart whispered, "I'll see you again soon!" Then, unexpectedly, the tears and fears started.

WHY am I going on this trip? WHAT am I doing? HOW will I survive two months away from my life's comforts (my friends, my church, my grocery store, my car, my island, my bed!)? WILL I make any travel friends?  Then... I have a flashback... I'm twelve and for some pseudo-courageous reason, I have again decided that I MUST dare myself to dive off the ten foot board at the local pool. Jumping won't do; no, I must CLIMB that ladder, WALK to the end of the board, LOOK DOWN at the now tiny puddle of wetness, POINT my fingers with arms raised toward the sky and death defyingly FLY myself into the deep end. I swim quickly up to the air line and breathe, quite literally, a sigh of relief that I have once again conquered some vague fear. It's a short -lived release from that fear, though, because a few weeks later, I find myself daring my legs to go up that ladder again.

So, I ask myself, is this trip just another fly through the air dare? I consider and finally decide no.  This dive is an adult one into a travel adventure with puddles of possiblilites of fun, food, friends, good fortune and bad, breath-taking sights and breath defying rides, lost luggage and just plain being lost. Past experience has taught me that day by day, decision by decision, I will dive into the life of a gypsy on the road and fly high. As if on cue, the opening notes of the "Rocky" movie theme start in my head, "Dah dum, dah dah dum, dah dah dum, dum, dum!"  And like that, I'm OFF! I'm 'off'' of tearful farewells, 'off'' of timid feelings, 'off' to another mind challenging, daily queen taking game of travel chess, and 'off'' to meet new versions of friends and see new visions of places in this beautiful world!