This all came as a surprise to me. I knew we were heading to such an airport, but I simply thought we were going to enjoy the day relaxing and watching the above planes. Before I knew it, I was strapped in a claustrophobic cockpit with foreign gauges and a joystick situated in between my legs. A trained pilot was sitting right behind me.
After a few minutes of waiting for runway traffic to clear, we were up in the air about two miles from the ground as I detached the tension line connecting the glider I was in to the plane in front of us (which was responsible for elevating us to this extreme height). While I was flying the glider and getting used to its mechanics, I drifted into a sort of daydream that was unlike anything I have experienced before. I experienced a sense of serenity and peace, haven been above all the troubles that plagued society below. In fact, this Memorial Day seemed to have a paradoxical theme attached to it. While others were preoccupied with remembering veterans (possibly veterans in their own family), I was transported to a different place entirely, where remembering those who served our country did not even happen to cross my mind. Essentially, while others were paying their respects to servers of our nation, I was detached from society completely.
After the hour plane ride, I went home and did homework, not thinking once about the importance of the holiday. I was relaxed and focused on enjoying time with my family. In retrospect, I do not regret my day at all. Seemingly being apathetic towards the holiday, this memorial day was a cathartic experience, one that I will remember for years to come. After all, there will always be more memorial days.
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