Going for it...

Is this something you would do? If not, why? For me, I have to force myself to go up to high places. I have fear of heights, but sometimes I must go up high in order to get places. I have to fly in an airplane in order to get somewhere, for instance.

I have not been up in a paraplane. Who is in this one? You'd have to ask kennkiser@yahoo.com, who shot this photo.

This picture reminded me of the choices Non-traditional students face when deciding whether to go back to school or not.

People who go back to school after a break are facing a decision much like the person in this photo. The first time he or she decided to go up into the sky in a paraplane, I imagine that person probably felt many emotions - excitement, doubt, or even fear. He or she probably thought, "I haven't ever done this before!" or "What if something goes wrong?"

Some people never go beyond their first doubts. They just freeze. They keep doing what they have always done. Changing is too much trouble. It's too much risk.

Then there is the person who goes beyond the risk to see the prize, to see what he or she will achieve and how he or she will feel about themselves. This kind of person tries something instead of always taking the "safe" way (which isn't always safer in the long run...)

This brave kind of person actually follows through with a choice by really acting on it; he or she goes back to school, skydives, learns to operate a paraplane, (!) changes jobs, goes into business --- all of these things can be so life changing.

Some people just make the decision that they are going to take a chance.

I wonder how the person is feeling in this picture. I admire this person. He or she is up in the air - looking down on a cornfield, coming in for a landing.

What an amazing experience!