Only once have I completely accepted the very real possibility of an imminent death. It was the summer after I graduated high school, when a couple friends and I celebrated by going skydiving. We chose to jump solo instead of tandem, which required an all-morning class before our first jump. After we passed the class, the three of us packed ourselves into a little Cessna along with the pilot and our instructor. I jumped last, which meant I was crouched at the very back of the plane. As we made our ascent over rural Michigan, I calmly and deliberately assessed my life and had a very personal and intimate conversation with God. It was a unique experience that I cannot compare with any other. The rush of adrenaline that naturally accompanies jumping from a plane four thousand feet in the air was delicately balanced by an inner peace the likes of which I have never since experienced.
As I stepped from the relative safety of the plane’s interior out onto the wing, I realized that I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. It was a true moment of faith to be able to let go of a plane soaring high in the sky, with the understanding that should something go wrong, everything would be alright.
I hope that I see death coming before I pass on from this life. I would gladly take a few minutes to assess my life, give thoughts to those I leave behind, and prepare myself for finally seeing my Lord and Savior.
As I stepped from the relative safety of the plane’s interior out onto the wing, I realized that I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. It was a true moment of faith to be able to let go of a plane soaring high in the sky, with the understanding that should something go wrong, everything would be alright.
I hope that I see death coming before I pass on from this life. I would gladly take a few minutes to assess my life, give thoughts to those I leave behind, and prepare myself for finally seeing my Lord and Savior.