~ found image (idk)

So ... I was thinking about G ... rolling in the deep so to speak, I mean, the child doesn't know how to swim, not really.  She puts on her little pink water wings ... her floaties ... and starts wading in to water that practically had ice floating in it ... we are five days later and I still have a chill from it.  She really enjoyed it.  I know how that is.

I say flight training is the shallow end of the pool.  The end where the steps are ... one wades in and splashes around, perhaps dreaming of having enough stroke to make it to the flight levels.

I never had any intention of doing anything but instructing ... over in the wading pool.  I love just getting wet. It's fun to splash in the water ... and help someone realize how natural floating on one's back is, or working on the basics ... foundations that everything is build on.  I love the primacy of it ... and where it can take a person and how you always come back to that ... it needs to be right.  It is enough for me.  I came to it late, but I went all in ... no choice, I had found my thing.

That's what time with G helped me remember.  So, for her it didn't matter that it was a dinky little hotel pool ... frigid ... lacking in amenities (even the towels were as skimpy as an flight instructor's paycheck).  She made more the the most of it ... she made it great. I wish you coulda heard her ... .

Today, a stranger who visits this blog sent a note ... it basically said...


Something I wanted to say to you after reading one of your posts. There are about 600,000 active pilots in the U.S. less than half are female. I would think less than a quarter. Out of that there are very few commercial female pilots and even fewer female instructors. So that makes you a part of a very, very small group of people. I think that's cool. Just wanted to say that. ... (Instructors) don't seem to really be into passing on their knowledge. I went through 5 instructors to get my private pilot certificate. I practically had to beg to get them to fly with me. I finally found a (half way instructor) to ride along with me. I say ride because he sure didn't teach me anything. Most times I had to repeat the controllers commands because he didn't understand them. Very sad. 

A book I'm reading right now would say the timing isn't right for you but if you really want it, it will happen.

Nice note ... came on a good day as I was already thinking about how doing what you love is a real treat ... I loved learning all that stuff ... yeah, really, all of it.  I love that I know that stuff.  I love that stuff ... not that I am a pilot, but that I am capable of being ... that I rock a lot of it.  I love to fly and I would love to help someone towards that.  

I think I owe it to myself to keep my knowledge up.  Just 'cause I don't have anywhere to pour it out doesn't mean I can't keep on filling myself with it.  

I don't want to want stuff I can't have. But ... I have this.  This is mine.  It was a lot of work.  I can't see around the corner in life, but I should do what I love to the extent that I am able to.  Timing.  Hmmm.