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We try to plan our lives but then there are some phases full of uncertainties and fear. My father knows this and wants us to be well prepared for them as well. And so he booked four days stay in Interlaken, Switzerland. When we arrived at Stella Hotel, we got a message from the skydiving station- Because of High Wind Speed, tomorrow’s schedule is cancelled. Imagine our confusion when my Dad woke us up early saying, “It’s on. Mom checked on her mobile in the morning. The wind speed was just 6. I called the station, and yes, they have a vacancy.” Was it only a matter of seconds before we were in the van being driven to the location? After reaching the skydiving station, we changed into skydive wear. Since I was going to do it Tandem, meaning along with a fellow experienced skydiver, I met my instructor Ned who seemed to be a happy-go-lucky, jocular kind of fellow. For the next one hour, my life depended on him. My brother’s instructor Mike was pulling his leg, “Feeling lucky?” And when my brother answered in the affirmative, he said, “Let’s go find out.” We were given only one instruction, “While landing, don’t land on your feet directly. Keep your legs horizontal to the ground. This is very, very important.” I also remember my Dad’s advice," There’s 45 seconds of free fall before the parachute opens, but don’t panic. In your head, you know perfectly well that the falling is going to stop.” A few minutes later, we were crossing the field, getting into the plane and rising up, up and above. We were all given eye protection to wear. The plane took us above the mountains, above the clouds, till the ground was difficult to make out. At 11,000 feet, the door opened and my mom jumped out, followed by my dad. The procedure was to slowly make way towards the door and jump. It was my turn, and my mind went numb. The instructor asked me, "Ready?" but I could barely make out his voice. What is this life really? Is it not the most dangerous, most unpredictable jump? Must not have God asked us, “Child, it will be full of challenges, full of mountains to climb and valleys you can fall into.” “I still wish to go. But can’t you give me a guarantee, a safety net?” “If you want a parachute, child, the parachute shall be your loved ones. Are you READY?" READY TO JUMP? I was hurtling through the air at full speed and had two thoughts. The first thought was of the sensation of falling. And the second thought was that falling wasn’t so bad. Walking, eating, jumping, we take one thing for granted, the feeling of being in control. Our two feet are connected to the ground and we are in complete control of ourselves and our actions. Imagine this sense of control completely missing. Imagine that your breath gets knocked out of you, first because you are falling and next because of the view. The gorgeous cover of green, the colour our planet is meant to be stretching for miles and miles. Imagine a river the most beautiful shade of blue, snaking across the landscape like a very thin ribbon. Imagine gladness, a wonder, happiness. My friends, you have just experienced skydiving. You are wakened as to reality when the parachute opens. You experience a jerk and the parachute pulls you up. My instructor asked me, how I was feeling and I remarked how lucky he was to do this as a job. And now we are getting closer to the ground. I can make out the houses and also the field we are supposed to land into. “Keep your feet horizontal!” But in awe as I am, I try to straighten my legs and almost manage it but then we get closer to the ground. Out of habit, my right foot automatically tries to greet the ground first. CRACK! “Oww!!” I don’t know it yet but my right foot has a ligament tear. All I can feel is the silly grin spreading across my face.