Flight

After the candies, the freebies and comforts of childhood, you go about taking charge. Yes, now you have taken an active role in directing your life. Now, you have accepted the challenge and the fact that there's no one else to direct your life; you have bloomed and you have flown above the rest.

But in taking flight, it is not enough that you have lifted. I know, thrusting forward is already hard and flying is already an achievement but flying in itself is another challenge. You cannot just fly without direction. Aimless and helpless up above the air renders great danger plummeting down.

You have to maintain your speed while keeping in mind your destination. To keep you in flight, you must overcome the force of gravity; you must fly at a certain speed range. You cannot go too slow for you will fall neither can you go too fast for you might get out of control. At this regulated rate you aim for your destination. What is the point of the journey if there is no destination?no end point? no aim?

You have to pace yourself to avoid burn outs. At some point, you will be tired. At some point, you will feel the need to stop and take some rest. At some point, you will find yourself asking why you are flying in the first place. Rest if you must but never stop. Never let the Law of Least Effort take effect for in this, you settle for something comfortable and you settle for something less than what you're worth. Your momentum and inertia can always be at your side but your will will decide. Don't rush...don't procrastinate...just the right pace but not too comfortable. Sometimes, you have to slow down; you have to speed up; you have to fall; but just continue on. If you don't, how will you get there?

You have to know or at least discover the path towards your destination. Knowing your destination and knowing how to get there are two different things. You may know for certain where you want to be and what you want to become but you don't know how. It is normal. We can discover it along the way, what's important is that you're already set forth towards that definite goal. Sometimes, the journey is more fulfilling, enjoyable and exciting when you have discovered the way than have someone laid it out for you. But sometimes, you also need people; people who will help you in the journey; these people are usually with the same goal and the same values as yours. And also sometimes, you have to change route; you have to make a turn but it doesn't mean it's wrong. There is no one correct path in going to your destination. There are several paths and you can also create your own.

You have to look for others who can be your companions in the flight. It is already hard to leave the ones you left on the ground so don't make it harder for yourself to fly alone. Who knows, you will soar high with those other people? Along the way, you will need help; you will need encouragement; you will need enlightenment; you will need people. Don't worry much for they will come to you without you looking for them. You will find them along the way, probably on the same side of the sky with more or less same destination. You will find comfort in these people but not too comfortable. They will be the ones who will challenge you to fly faster, to soar higher, and to spread you wings more. They may also be the ones who will teach you how to do so and how to get there. And of course, in return, you can do the same to them and others. As the saying goes, 'Birds of the same feather flock together'. So choose what kind of bird you want to become. It is not enough that you can fly; you should have your own identity in your flight.

I, myself, am not assured to arrive at my destination. I am also at the beginning of my journey and I think, every time I would arrive at my destination, I will always find other places to go, to discover and to explore at the same time making me more experienced in flight. They say the first goal is the most difficult to attain but I am yet to know. Hope to see you along the way or at least at the same sky.