I tried to block it out, but my brain would not let me forget the inevitable, I was
going to die. My palms were sweating, water poured from everyinch of my body. The
people below me would have to get umbrellas to keep from getting soaked. All I could
concentrate on was the man at the bottom who was keeping the ladder steady. I was
praying that a boy running to catch a football wouldn’t accidentallybang into him and
send me spiraling to my death. The tiny people waved up at me, but it was all a blur.

There was an English man up there who had decided to take the job of sending
little children off to their deaths, just to make a little extra cash. I was fully aware of his
incompetence. When I got to the top, some sort of supernatural force brought my feet to
the edge of the platform. I sat down, my legs dangling in front of me. I was going to slip
off of the board, the line holding me was going to snap, and I was once again going to be
tossed carelessly to my death. The line was all I could think about. Down was the only
direction my eyes would go.

I begged to go back down the ladder, but the stupid man thought I would enjoy it.
He tried to convince me, the tiny dots bellow shouted encouragement; they said they
would run with me as I flew. I knew there would be no flying. How stupid everyone was,
I was going to slide off of that platform, if it didn’t collapse from my weight first, and
die. I couldn’t think; the tears clogged my brain. Why wouldn’t he let me go back? The
message replayed in my mind, “you’re going to die, you’re going to die, you’re going
to…”

My insides were yanked out in one forceful motion. All of the chaos that had built
up in my veins and had tightened my throat was gone. I was like a blown up balloon, let
go just before it could be knotted at the bottom. I went in every direction, tension
escaping from my bodyas I soared. The fear encompassing my mind disappeared without
warning. The breeze hit my face and cooled my sweaty body. I could see clearly now, I
was flying.

Today, I amstill terrified of heights. It would be nice to say that I conquered my
fears and found something I loved, but this is certainly notthe case. I owe my zip line
experience to the English man who pushed me off of the platform, and while I am very
glad that it happened, I don’t plan on doing it again. I am grateful for the experience
because I love adventure. Trying new things has alwaysappealed to me. Some of the
most rewarding experiences I have had, like flying, have come out ofconquering what at
first appears to be frightening or impossible. Whether it is in the classroom or thirty feet
in the air, challenge has always been what I enjoy the most. While my days of aerial
escapades are over, I look forward to the future and the questions that it has to hold. I
have answered my own question of fear of flying and will continue to create questions
wherever I go.