On Wednesday, August 16th I went skydiving.
It was amazing.
Many people have asked me questions on social media, such as "Were you scared?" and "How was it?"
Skydiving was probably one of the most exhilarating things I have done. I'm pretty sure I am now an adrenaline junky. Well, maybe not that far, but I would most definitely do it again.
I was originally supposed to go with my cousin Keimani on May for his 18th birthday but that got canceled from the rain. Then I was supposed to go again August 11th but, of course it was raining again. As they say third times the charm and on August 16th it was perfect whether conditions for skydiving.
I drove up with my cousin Kania from Columbia about an hour to Skydive Carolina in Chester. I was set to check in at 2 p.m. but, I was there an hour early for no reason other than excitement.
As we waited we watched the other tandem and single skydivers go up in the airplane and then come down with their parachutes. When everyones parachute is deployed they kind of look like weird jelly beans in the sky. At least I think so, but then again I'm also addicted to candy so, thats what I automatically relate things to.
Before we knew it they called my name, " Imani Johnson please follow the yellow footsteps." I do as the voice said and followed the yellow footsteps to the hanger where I was to put on that fashionable windsuit you see me wearing. Oh, and of course you must always accessorize! The windsuit came with a beautiful helmet resembling that of the 1920's football helmets.
I got to meet Ashley, who was to be my tandem jump instructor. She was really nice and I got to know her a bit which made me feel a bit more comfortable since we were literally going to be strapped extremely close together for a little while.
Anyways the airplane pulls up and its time for take off. I've been in a lot of airplanes. I have been flying before I was about 6 months old, but this was the first time I had ever been in a plane that small. As Ashley joked now I'll have more take-offs than landings, which reminded me of exactly why I was getting on the plane.
I forgot to mention this but, the whole time I was there waiting to be called and even on the airplane waiting to jump out, although I was aware that I was going to skydive it honestly didn't feel real until it was actually happening.
A little light next to the door turned green, meaning that we were at the right height to start jumping out. I had a front row seat right next to the gaping hole in the air plane where the door was supposed to be, watching the single skydivers take off first. It was cool to watch, each one approached the door fearless. I keep saying 'jumping' out the airplane but, its more of a lean out and then your taken away by gravity.
I was the first tandem jumper out the airplane. I approached the door with Ashley on my back and stare out in to the sky. I'd honestly thought I would have been more scared seeing the ground so far below. Maybe I'm weird but, I wasn't scared, I didn't have any of those butterflies, I wasn't feeling anxious and I wasn't nauseous. Before I knew it we were flying. I didn't really even have time to debate in my if I was scared or not because again we were flying.
They tell you in the training class to not look down when you are free falling since nothing is really down there but the unchanging ground. They say to look out and to observe whats around you. Seeing the sky in the ground kind of meld together on the horizon while looking out in the distance was pretty cool. But, if you do what I did and get the video with it almost the whole free fall you are mostly interacting with the camera that is on the helmet of another person directly in front of you.
One thing about skydiving is that it happens so fast. At a moments notice I went from free falling, to the parachute being completely launched and now gliding slowly back down to earth. Ashley sort of let me control the parachute and we went around in circles just looking around. I was enjoying a view that she had seen literally thousands of times. I asked her about her first solo sky dive jump, she told me how she was terrified but, was addicted and would skip her college classes to skydive, which of course she recommended that I should not do (I wished I actually did do something interesting when I skipped class instead of basically nothing.)
Soon, we were a couple feet from the ground she told me to lift up my legs, we slid in on our butts, just missing an ant hill and it was over.
I was happy that I did it but, sad that it was over so soon. I drove back home and realized that the memories and feelings from that experience were already fading away. I was back to reality. Never have I ever been more in the present than I was skydiving. Thats probably the reason why I am so keen on doing it again. The chance to refreshen those memories and to be back in the feeling of being so in the present.
Although the memories have faded a bit, an after effect of skydiving has been confidence. I feel like I am able to do anything and that all opportunities are opened to me. I have been in such a positive mindset since then and just so happy and grateful for everything and everyone.
If you want to the see the video you can go to the Tales of a Lame Facebook page and watch it.
These past few weeks have been so great for me. Since, recommitting to my blog I have received so much support so, thank you guys for that I really appreciate all of you who read.
I am so happy, I got to go skydiving, August 21st is the Solar eclipse and I just so happen to be in the perfect place to observe its totality, and I'm going to be seeing my all time favorite musician Kid Cudi in concert!!!!!!!! I hope your days are also filled with positivity and happiness!
