Believing My Kite Will Take Flight...

"Run! Run! Keep the string tight"  My friend and I would crane our necks to the sky, the dazzling sun making our eyes squint as we peered into the crystal sky watching the fate of our flying kites at the end of our strings.  Not to sound all "back in the day".... but back in our day, we made our own kites with what ever we could find laying around - duct tape, trash bags, wax paper, tin foil, dowels and string.  We would spend hours, sometimes days, creating the newest contraption, excitedly designing the next flying masterpiece, and run out to the fields as wildly as the Wright Brothers with less knowledge in physics, but just as much heart. 

We would launch our vessels to the wind, watch them dart and shimmy as the wind beat and battered them.  The kites would curtsy and bow - flutter and flirt with the breeze, and eventually would spiral violently and nose dive into the ground.  We would look at each other - laugh like crazy, exclaiming how awesome it was when the kite was airborne for the few brief moments before it's catastrophic fate.  We would run over to the crash site, gather up the crumpled pieces and walk back to the house, chattering about how we would make it better next time. 

Kites at Bug Light, South Portland ME

Glue sticks, glitter, streamers and a few hours later, we would be back at it for another attempt.

Kites at Bug Light, South Portland, ME

Kites at Bug Light, South Portland, ME

Never once do I remember feeling defeated or dismayed when my creation took a nose dive.  It was part of the thrill and fun to see how long we could get our masterpieces airborne.  I loved the creativity and the challenge of it all.  I schemed, designed, and wittingly created the most beautiful kites that were as flight worthy as an ostrich.  It was awesome.

So why do I sit here, in tears and frustrated, ready to call defeat when seeing my latest creation take a dive? Why is it so hard as an adult to pick up the pieces, spackle on some glitter and duct tape and try again?  Where did that sense of adventure and pure joy of seeing my masterpieces fly, even if just for a short time, before they spiral and hit the ground?  Where did the enthusiasm of rebuilding go? 

Remembering how kites challenge the winds of my childhood reminds me that the masterpieces I am working on will take flight, and there is joy to be had in creating them.  Just the excitement of the launch, running like crazy with all the hope and anticipation in the world is exhilarating.   I need to hold on to that string - I need to keep running.  My kite will take flight -I just need to believe.... and a little glitter and duct tape might do the trick. 


Paradise is here, Paradise is now .... Paradise is taking flight....