I Conquered the Sky

Today as Laura and I listened to Danyel's tale of lost insurance and missing money, I was lost in thought. I was thankful that I didn't have kids yet, and that I didn't have to worry about losing money because the office manager is a dimwit who can't calculate her own brain cells. It just seems ridiculous that we have to worry about not being paid correctly on top of teaching the youth of America.


All of the sudden, Austin comes breezing in--wearing an outfit that might look fashionable in an urban setting, but in rural Missouri looks a bit silly. He's excited and talking about how he's living the good life now that he's graduated from high school. In a few months, he's going to Tennessee, he says, in the hopes of making a go at a car wrapping business (apparently, a business adventure wherein a company wraps a car with signage for a business). He was quite animated, talking about his cousin who owned the business and how he may one day be the owner himself.

After a few minutes, Laura and Danyel began another conversation, and Austin was quiet for a moment, then he looked at me and stated: "I went skydiving."

ME: That's awesome! What was it like?

AUSTIN: It scared the crap out of me, man. It was like crazy scary!

ME: Yeah?

AUSTIN: Oh my God, yes! I was so freaked out. It was so windy, and the plane opened, and I looked out and I was like --I almost said the D word, sorry. I was like man! It was windy. Then I jumped. By the time I got the parachute open, though, it was was like swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.

ME: That sounds awesome!

AUSTIN: I conquered the sky, man. I'm not afraid of anything anymore; I used to be afraid of spiders, but now when I see a spider I'm like 'can he conquer the sky?' He can't like I did. I'm not afraid of anything!

Part of me was really pleased that Austin had put his fears to rest. Another thread in me, though, wonders if a bit of fear isn't healthy for all of us to have. I'm afraid of being left alone. I'm afraid of seeing the mouse who has taken residence in my garage. I'm afraid that I'm mediocre in every sense of the word.

Perhaps that fear is necessary. That mouse could get me. I know he has plans to steal me or my dog Snap. Sometimes that mouse catches my eye as he saunters past me with his bits of goodness from my garage floor. He's never liked me. I don't know that I can conquer the mouse if I conquer the sky.