Up, Up and Away

Since I’ve reached a certain age, the preciousness of time greets me when I wake up and reminds me to appreciate my days when I go to bed. Now that we live in a so-called empty nest, Tim and I have a bit more time to do some of the things we enjoy. And that includes pursuing activities that we’ve always wanted to do. I enjoy writing and until a few years ago, I have not taken the time to sit at my computer and peck away at the keys. What I write may never be published (except on my blogs) but I continue to pursue my dream of publishing a book someday. Along with that dream comes research for my writing.

Yesterday Tim and I drove to Middletown, Ohio where I hoped to go up in a hot air balloon. The balloon would have been tethered, meaning that it only rose a hundred or so feet in the air, but I would have experienced something new and so would Tim. The balloonists made a fine effort to accommodate us, but the wind won out. As we stood in line with hundreds of other people, we enjoyed the soft breeze blowing away the humid heat. Unfortunately, that same breeze caused safety issues with the balloons. We never did get to rise into the sky, but we did see how the balloonists prepare for flight, we watched forty or more balloons rise up to the challenge of a race and we sat amazed at the beauty of balloons lit up in the dark for the annual balloon glow. We may never get to ride in a balloon, but at least we tried. Turning fifty taught me one thing—put my fears aside and move toward my dreams.

Maybe we will even go back next year and try again.