Dear sis,

As you know, I have always been pretty adventurous.   I recall in my early 20’s,  hitchhiking up the Gold Coast of Australia.   I would get rides in 18 wheeler trucks,  meeting dozens of local people and hearing their stories.  It was a time of freedom, growth, adventure and self empowerment.   All this was rolled into my very young heart and mind.

At the age of 26, I had an opportunity to jump 3,000ft out of an airplane.   I trained all morning in a classroom, did a solo jump that afternoon and my parachute opened automatically by a “static line” that was attached to the aircraft.  It was the scariest thing I had ever done.   I will always remember the fear I had stepping out on the ledge of that plane.  So much fear that the pilot had to circle 3 times before I had the courage to finally jump.

There are so many different ways to describe fear.

“It is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.  It can lead us to hide or run away.  It can be uncomfortable and crippling.”

But there are also fears that we have based on what we have learned or from past experiences.

Changing a job, moving to a different Country, leaving a marriage,  getting ill or we fear  the unknown.    We can actually create many different types of fears in our minds.

So how did I overcome the fear of skydiving ?  Jumping out of a plane from 10,000 feet and free falling for 30 seconds ?  I simply owned what I was going to do, did not overthink it and felt at peace with my decision.   Of course I was a little nervous, but I allowed myself to really enjoy the journey.

I think we can compare this to being faced with different fears in life.   But when you make up your mind to do something, it should all just simply flow.   No resistance.   You control your thoughts and your emotions.

For many years, I carried this very strong desire to jump.   We all have a “strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.”  How wonderful is that.  To have desires.  I hope to have desires my entire lifetime.   If you stop desiring, you stop expanding.

Well sis, I just wanted to get this blog out so you can watch my dive.  JP, thank you for showing Karen these videos.    I also attached two silly pre and post ones that Jenna filmed.

I love you sis,

Kathy xo

ps.  OK Karen, completely not related to this blog BUT I just need to tell you this story as it happened today and I know it will make you laugh.  For the last week I have been having challenges with my vacuum cleaner.    The motor was fine but there was hardly any suction.   As you know I hate stuff like this.  No idea how to fix it.  So I drove around with it in the back of my car all week.  So finally at the end of the day today I stopped in to this Vacuum shop.   I asked if they did repairs and both gentleman responded yes.

I said to the one assisting me,”I don’t think it is anything major.  I think there is something clogged in the machine.”  He plugged it in, looked at the motor, took a piece off and then pulled out a pair of my pinkish thongs !!!!

When he handed them to me, I groaned and smiled and asked,”What do I owe you?”  He said, “No charge.”   But I handed him a $5.00 bill, told him to buy a coffee and ran out.

True story LOL only me right sis ? xoxo