Six Interesting Things about Me

The Sky I never Reached

If you looked at my high school journals, they were filled with the roar of jet engines. Back in my Air Force Jr. ROTC days, the only dream I had was becoming a fighter pilot. I wanted the high-altitude views and the prestige of that flight suit.
That dream didn’t come true. Instead of a cockpit, I found myself in hospital rooms for my child’s HLHS journey, and instead of soaring above the clouds, I had to learn how to crawl out of the darkness of addiction.
For a long time, I viewed these "un-met" dreams as failures. But lately, I’ve realized that when one door closed on the life I thought I wanted, it forced me to build a home in the life I needed.
• The Reality: I didn't get the "fighter pilot" wings, but I developed a fighter’s heart.
• The Silver Lining: If I were up in the sky, I might have missed the "writer’s high" that I’m rediscovering right now.
• The Lesson: Some dreams don't come true so that better stories can be written.
I’m still chasing that talent my 6th-grade teacher saw in me. It turns out, I don't need a jet to feel like I’m flying; I just need a blank page.