Refresh your Freedom every so often!!!

Guess what I did for my Birthday this year? Yeah, that’s right, I went Sky Diving…. Yeeaaahhh

A few weeks ago my wife asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and I honestly was not sure. She mentioned a few things like perfumes, shoes, books, a party with friends and family, but honestly… I do not need anything. I have never been the person to want more items or more things that just pile up and give me an ephemeral sense of wellness anyway, I am more of an experimenter and a tinkerer than anything else. My wife and I have been married for over 6 years now and have two beautiful kids that keep us extremely busy (to not say extremely tired) and happy.

My kids and my family are the main reason why I no longer engage in certain somehow dangerous activities that I otherwise will without hesitation. I used to ride my motorcycle throughout the streets and highways of Los Angeles, I would not dare do that now with two kids. I used to engage in crazy partying and insane activities prior to having kids, now I think twice before most things I do.

But there was one activity that I have always wanted to do, and this time I really, not only wanted it, but needed it. “Sky diving” has been something that always attracted me, more than bungee jumping or other extreme engagement. So this time, I told my wife that I wanted to do that, and she replied… “Of course you would…” She was a bit skeptical about it at the beginning, but proceeded to accept and purchase the jump for me.

This past weekend we headed down to Oceanside in Souther Calfornia to skydive. Surprisingly there was so many people there waiting to jump that we decided not to wait 3 hours for my jump and re-scheduled it for the next morning. Sunday morning we woke up early enough to be the first ones to arrive at “GoJump” (you are welcome for the ad, lol). Immediately, the guys there, who are amazing, proceeded to explain to us what it was gonna be about, gave me the gear, and 5 minutes later we were on the air.

So we flew.. The plane started gaining altitude and at about 5k feet they opened the door and the adrenaline really started to rise. Flying with an opened door is something that I have never done and its quite scary and exhilarating at the same time. We needed to reach 13k feet altitude in order to jump. At 10k everything look extremely small down there and the world definitely look round (for those doubters). So we finally reached 13k feet altitude, the person I was gonna jumping with told me to relax, and buckled me to his gear, then we butt walked to the edge of the plane. He asked me if I was ready… I said yeaahh (well, you cant be not ready, there are no options at that point)

he counted…

3…

2… and we jumped…

yes, we jumped on 2… The first 2–3 seconds on the air I was very tense, but then… I just released all tension and relaxed… . When you are free falling from13k feet, you realized that there is no need to be tense at all. If you wish to enjoy, or solve a situation that may arise, or to communicate better, or just to be, then you (we, all of us) need to breath and relax. Seldomly, we will be able to accomplish our highest potential by being tense, and this is under any situation. I know its not an easy task to relax when dead may be staring at your face, or if you are about to be given the death sentence, but hey… How good it is to be tense.

It took me a big jump from 13k feet to remember this, and thats why i titled this article “Refresh your freedom every so often,” because we nee to meditate, or do yoga, or play ball, or dance, or jump in order to remember to breath and relax…