A roar in the sounds in the distance. At first I don’t
notice, but the dog barks frantically, convinced she’s the only thing standing
between us and total destruction. I suspect the UPS truck, but the roar gets
louder and with a smile, I recognize the familiar sound just the Blue Angels
tear a hole in the sky above my house. It’s air show time again.
I’m not a huge fan of crowds, loud noises, or giant machines
so air shows aren’t a major draw for me. Luckily, I only live a mile or so from
the base, so I get to watch the Blue Angels from the comfort of my deck as they
practice their maneuvers. The only downside is they’re going so fast, I hardly
have time to grab a camera before they’re gone. It’s a beautiful thing to watch
those planes fly in perfect formation, like water ballet at 700 mph.
As someone who could never learn to follow a dance partner,
I’m in awe of pilots who are able to fly with such precision. I’m sure they
have a natural talent for flying, but it’s the hours and hours of study,
training, and practice that make them able to do what they do. That’s the
lesson I need to take. Talent is good, but practice makes you great.
Now, back
to work.
Ah, I've always been a sucker for anything with an engine. Cars, trucks, planes, boats. It doesn't matter to me. Now that I live in a big(ish) city, I can go to car shows where they've got hundreds of cool toys.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to think that all the people who build those things or drive/fly them professionally are just good at it. But, nope, you're right: they had to practice.
I'm not particularly a motorhead, but I do admire the design and engineering that goes into all those things. Lots of talented, skilled people out there.
ReplyDelete