The Feeling of Flight

Now, normally, when your sibling tells you that you can fly and dares you to jump off the roof of the barn, you one hundred percent should not attempt to do that (and if your sibling tells you this, just say NO). However, I trusted my brother completely, so when he told me I had the ability to fly, I believed him.

He set the ladder up against the sill in the barn and climbed up, egging me on, daring me to follow him. So, of course, I did. We crawled our way outside onto the roof, where my brother dangled his feet over the edge. If I'd paid a little more attention I would have seen that his knuckles were stark white from gripping the edge so tightly, but I was slightly distracted by how high up we were.

I was only eight years old, so standing on the edge of a barn that's over ten feet up in the air is slightly terrifying, but I choked down the fear and sat down next to Scott.

"How...how do I do it?" I stammered. My legs shook and I ground my teeth. I couldn't take my eyes off of the ground that seemed like miles down, so I didn't hear the quiver in his voice when he answered me.

"You know the barn owl that sleeps in the sill? Remember when we saw it fly out and soar up into the sky? It's like that. You picture yourself gliding to wherever you want to go. Feel the air and the wind wrapping around you and picture it lifting you up. That's how you fly." he whispered quietly.

I nodded, the nerves dissipating and my bones steadied, feeling the confidence that I now felt. I crawled backward on the roof, slowly finding my balance and standing on the edge. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I focused on the sounds around me and the feeling of the air on my skin. I could hear the slight rustling of the wind through the trees, my brother's shallow breathing, and the scrape of my clothes against my skin. I felt the rush of wind pushing against my back. My hair, loose and wild, seemed to float around my face like a halo. I felt my arms raise out to the side like an owl's wings, embracing the air, feeling it ebb and flow...and then I jumped.

I pictured myself soaring through the sky becoming one with the wind and sky. My body relaxed as I let myself go, and then I heard Scott yelling my name. It sounded like he was far away, so I opened my eyes.

I was high above the treetops, floating in the sky like I was on a balance beam, but there was nothing but air underneath me. The barn was yards away, Scott was standing on the edge now, arms waving wildly as he screamed "Tali!" over and over again.

A laugh of amazement and lightness swept over me and made me giddy. I imagined my hands pushing the air behind me and I flew forward. A giggle escaped my lips and my eyes glittered with joy as I glided toward my brother.

By the time I got to the barn he was standing still, arms hanging loosely at his side, his mouth gaping wide open as he watched in amazement as I landed lightly on the roof.

"How did you do that?" he demanded. I laughed, "I did what you said, I believed I could fly, and I did!"

He shook his head in disbelief. "I don't get it. How did you...how did you do it? It's impossible," he stammered. I grabbed his hands, holding them tightly in mine, "Trust me?" He nodded.

I felt the air under my feet and pushed up, we flew upward into the sky. I let go of his left hand, letting him float out to my right. I flew us forward over the fields behind the barn, gliding on air, trusting.

A barn owl flew up out of the grassy bank below us, soaring up into the sky, gracefully surfing the waves of air, disappearing into the distance. My brother laughed. A laugh of pure joy and happiness, "Fly like the owl!" he whooped.

He let go of my hand, setting his hands out for balance as he felt the air circle him, lifting him up. He twirled upward into the light of the ever brightening moon as his laughter trailed after him.

"Fly like the owls!"