Skydiving

Skydiving is something I'm still pretty new to. I did my first tandem jump a few years ago, but I really started taking it seriously after getting a vacation place in the Poconos. I picked the spot because it was across the street from a little airport I could fly out of. As it turned out, that same airport also had a skydiving center, and before long, I became friends with the instructors. We'd hang out on the weekends, and every time they'd ask, "So when are you going to learn to skydive?" Eventually I figured they were right. I should.

I've earned my A license after completing the AFF course and the required 25 jumps. I've done most of my jumping around New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Even with my license in hand, it's still not about the view — I'm focused on improving my skills and body position. It's about the raw adrenaline and the jolt of aliveness that hits the moment you step out of the plane. And it's about something deeper too. Each jump is a personal test, a practice in overcoming fear. Even now, I still get nervous standing at the edge of the door. But I do it anyway. And when my feet touch the ground, there's this unmistakable feeling — not just of survival, but of bravery earned in real time.