I took this photo far into the hike out along the coast, enjoying the bright blues and greens surrounding the trail. On the way back, however, the entire view was shrouded in clouds, with gray mist shielding the coastline from view. The hike in and the journey out were completely different experiences due to the weather conditions and I’m glad I took this photo as soon as the moment of inspiration struck me.
I’ll be honest. I am terrified of heights. When I first moved to Oahu there were certain hikes that would send shivers up my spine and cause my legs to tremble. But I never stopped exploring those hikes and beyond them. Each time I face this fear my comfort level expands. I was dangling my feet over the cliff when I took this shot, yet not out of recklessness, but because I had hiked this enough times to know through experience what was feasible for me and could identify a safe and sturdy enough place to perch. Maybe the next step is this gliding through the sky, protected by much less than what a plane can offer. Here, it is you, your parachute, and the sky. Then maybe who knows if floating could lead to free fall, something I never thought I’d do. With each new exploration comes new awareness.
What a wonderful combination of adventure, adrenaline, and awe! Climbing a mountain, leaping off it, and gliding across the sky at sunset above a beautiful Hawaiian beach, this paraglider has life all figured out. I sat down to shoot this photo, and dangled my legs over the edge of the mountain I had climbed, daring to imagine the view from this flying human’s perspective. Similar to free diving, you would cooperate with the air, much like the water, to float and move weightlessly through space. Time might slip away as you fly through this flow state.
