As the giant balloon filled and lifted its bulbous head into the air, Mom stepped tentatively onto the foothold and we assisted her into the deep basket. My sisters and I climbed aboard with her and Ron as we gently took off into the air. The ascending balloon skimmed just over the tree tops and we looked down at people and objects on the ground growing smaller and smaller as we rose 1700 feet into the air. Mom’s knuckles were white as she gripped the edge of the basket and she said “I don’t know about this,” with a slight tremor in her voice.
“Don’t look down!” we said, and directed her attention towards the horizon while pointing out various landmarks. She soon relaxed and laughed with delight as we took in the beauty of the fall foliage and flying birds from above! After reaching 1700 feet, we gradually descended close to the tree tops again to flush out deer and other animals. We could call to people on the ground from this height; many of whom waved and shouted back up to us. It seemed they were as excited to see a hot air balloon as we were to be in one! We gently floated, as the crow flies, for another 10 miles in whatever direction the wind took us. We passed over a familiar high school soccer field and I pointed out to Mom the bleachers where she and I had sat years ago while watching my sons play soccer. We both chuckled, realizing that we never would have guessed back then that we’d be doing this now. We just never know where life is going to take us.
After the hour-long ride, Ron informed us he had chosen a field in which to set down. He prepared us for the landing, explaining that ideally the basket would gently bunny-hop three or four times before coming to a standstill in an upright position. It was not unusual, however, he said, for the wind to pull the basket onto its side. If that occurred we would simply tumble together onto the ground. I could see the anxious expression on Mom’s face, but Ron was quick to reassure her, “Nancy, you stand behind Carol so that if we tumble you will land on her.” I comically rolled my eyes as my sisters teased me that I was the one selected to brace Mom’s fall. They were calling me the human bumper, and I jokingly declared that since I was ‘taking one for the team’ that I wanted extra champagne if I ended up ‘eating grass.’
Despite our antics, Mom was still looking anxious as the basket began to bunny hop across the wide field. At first it looked like we would have an uneventful landing, but we soon realized that the basket was going to tip on its side. Ron hurriedly asked who was agile enough to jump out quickly and secure the balloon. Sally heroically volunteered and scrambled out to do his bidding. Ron then told Ellen to do likewise, leaving Mom and I in a heap inside the basket as it dragged on its side across the grass.
Without my sisters’ weight we picked up speed as the wind continued to pull us, and Ron called to Sally and Ellen to jump on from the outside. This helped us gradually come to a stop on our side. I gazed up at the laughing faces of my two sisters atop the basket, with Mom and me lying on the bottom. Sure enough, grass was just inches from my face and I reminded them of their promise of extra champagne for me for being the human bumper. Mom and I extracted ourselves from the basket and after packing up the balloon headed off to toast our adventure with a celebratory round of champagne for everyone, and a little extra for the human bumper!
There are several things we can learn about achieving Bucket List Wishes from this story.
~Whether we say it quietly or boldly, we create forward movement when we say what we want out loud.
~When the opportunity comes, we need to trust our passion and enthusiastically say ‘yes’!
~When we become fearful and anxious, remember to receive encouragement and support wherever it comes from (even from an acquaintance in Germany).
~Tap into your own courage and step into the experience trusting those around you.
~When your fear arises and your knuckles are white from holding on so tightly lift your eyes to the horizon. What we focus on grows so rather than looking at the source of your anxiety, focus your attention on the positive and receive what it brings.
~Embrace humor to alleviate anxiety. Joy is contagious and spreads as we express our lightheartedness with one another.
~Lastly, remember to celebrate all that you are and all that you accomplish!
