When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return. ~Leonardo Da Vinci, artist, inventor, and more
Wherever you go I will follow.
Apart from you I am nothing.
Tethered by specially designed rope we glide
O’er vast fields and towns — our earthly home.
“Relax, I’ve got this” is easy for you to say;
You’re the one in front blazing this trail.
Yet part of me knows without trying too hard
I’m just a heartbeat from certain death.
Seriously? Relax! Enjoy the ride and the view;
Feel the wind currents rise and fall as you soar
Ever higher, never faster, amid the swirling clouds.
No destination, no clock — just you, me, and grandeur.
You have no power and can do little else
But follow my lead. Don’t fret, my friend,
I take my responsibility seriously and won’t fail
To escort you safely back from whence we came.
Note: I noticed these two as I was out and about one day and snapped a photo, figuring I’d find some use for it eventually. The glider in back has no motor; as such, it can only tag along until it’s set loose. The small plane in front does the lion’s share of the towing to reach the proper altitude. Which would you rather ride in? Here’s more info on gliders.
Musings by an ND Domer's Mom 
This is just lovely. As a child I always wanted to be able to fly and used to dream of it often. Sometimes I still do. Life always seems so much clearer from up on high.
Me, too, Lucy. In fact, when a girl a few years older than I earned her pilot’s license before her driver’s license, I was enthralled with the possibility of really flying! And I’ve loved flying ever since. That’s why, as Da Vinci said, I’m usually looking up!!
That’s pretty cool. I think I prefer to stay on the ground though. It’s agreat view, I bet, but at least if I fall the distance is a lot less 🙂
Well, Janna, as I can readily attest (https://domermom.com/2014/01/25/down-i-go-again/) even falling my height can be a nightmare!! So perhaps for some of us at least, flying might be safer!!
Debbie, that was absolutely beautiful! You have such a gift with words!
I, like PorterGirl, would often dream of flying when I was a child. That’s one of the reasons why I love the story of Peter Pan so much, because of the scene where Peter Pan teaches the child to fly! And it’s funny because back in the 90’s I performed in the stage play, Peter Pan, and was enthralled by how the children got to fly onstage!
Also, I enjoyed the link you shared on gliders. VERY informative.
Have a great week, my friend!
X
Ron, Peter Pan is such a lovely story for kids of all ages who love to fly! And I can see a stage presentation of it being just something you’d shine at!
Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts. You always make me blush with your praise, you know, and I find myself trying ever harder to earn those compliments!
Happy Spring — Happy rest of the week. Can you believe it’s almost Easter already?!? xx
Two attack planes!
But, Professor…where are their weapons??!
They’ve got two 20mm cannons under the wings, of course. #cool
How did I miss seeing those?? Now I feel much safer, knowing they can zap cornfields and such!
I would like to trade places with a hawk for an hour. Imagine that!
Great imagery, DD. I so love watching them float overhead (though I confess I’m just a wee bit afraid to leave the Sheltie outside alone when they’re circling — not that even they could heft his weight, ha!)
So inviting and secure. Love this, Debbie. I truly do.
Why, thank you, ma’am. It does feel comforting to know that somebody’s got your back, doesn’t it? And I imagine they have some means of communicating so the glider doesn’t disengage before his pilot’s ready, right?!
Yes, it does feel good to know someone’s near. Hugs!
Great poem! I love the idea of the glider having to out trust in the plane – but personally I’d rather be in the plane!
(You know…I totally agree!) Something about being set free to float on the ever-changing currents of the wind feels a bit frightening to me. At least the pilot of the plane has the illusion of controlling his destiny!
I have never been in a glider although I have always wanted to do it. This was a good second choice to the actual thing. Nice job Debbie.
John, flying in a glider seems like it would require way more courage than flying in a plane. Still, it looks like a spectacular way to see part of the world from on high!
The principle is the same but when you have no motor it could be tense. Most landings of small airplanes are done with the power pretty much throttled back. So in essence you are landing without an engine. (There is the opportunity to firewall it if you find you are in trouble.)
This rings true as the voice of experience, John. Thank you (and now I know where to go for technical info on flying!) Do you have a pilot’s license, by any chance??
Have many hours but not licensed now.
Lucky you!!
It’s really cool to watch them, isn’t it?
It is! They just look so peaceful floating up there. I can only imagine the view from their end!
No thank you. I’ve done plenty of small plane flying (as passenger, not pilot) but even that doesn’t thrill me all that much. Of course, over time, my view of things surely has been altered by having a cousin who builds, flys, repairs, and designs small planes — when he and his small-plane-of-the-day aren’t being pulled out of a tree. Oh, how his mother has suffered.
Oh gracious! That sounds beastly for a mom, and I’m glad Domer isn’t into small planes (not that he wouldn’t love to fly one some day!). I’ve been a passenger in a two-seater, and I couldn’t believe how different that felt from riding in the jumbo jets. For one thing, it’s waaay colder!
Lovely poem. But how does the person in glider land safely?
Good question, Pat. The website I referenced indicates they land much the same way a regular plane does. They descend and gently touch ground. Sounds pretty complicated to me, though they also said even a 14-year-old can pilot a glider!!
My youngest daughter got her pilot’s license last year – which thrills me for her and scares me to death (which I would not share with her). She set that goal and achieved it and I’m so happy for and proud of her. Now she’s working at NASA in Virginia, heading an exploratory 3-5 year project on drones. I’m in Oregon so of course Virginia is just about as far away geographically as a daughter can get and still share the continental US – but she’s flown the next (literally) so what’s a mother to do but joyously cheer her on! Love your picture and glad you found such a use for it.