I’m about to turn 60 years old.

And as part of the celebration, a friend suggested something unexpected, 

a skydiving adventure.

And I paused…

I began to imagine it:

The open sky stretching endlessly above me,

the rush of cold air against my skin,

the purity of oxygen filling my lungs in a way I’ve never known.

I imagined seeing birds from a different perspective,

watching clouds not from below, but within,

comparing their colors, their quiet beauty.

I imagined my body carried by the wind,

held between the sun and the sky.

And then I thought about something else…

The person attached to me.

The one who has done this before.

The one trained, prepared, experienced.

The one who explains the risks,

but doesn’t leave me alone in them.

The one who holds me steady,

positions my body when I don’t know how,

and stays with me from the jump… to the landing.

What a blessing 

to have an expert guiding you through an unfamiliar sky.

And it made me wonder…

Do we always have someone like that in life?

Someone who helps us navigate the unknown,

who sees what we don’t see,

who gently corrects us, yet never lets go?

Someone who can say,

“This is not the way”, and still follow it with,

“But I’m right here with you.”

Someone who knows when it’s time to jump,

and when it’s time to wait.

This morning, take a moment and ask yourself:

Do I have that person?

Someone I can trust with my biggest leaps?

Someone who knows the conditions of my life,

and can say, “Today is the day”… or “Not yet”?

If you find yourself with no one…

let me tell you what we’re going to do.

I’m taking this gear off.

After all, I don’t think I’m that brave for skydiving.

But instead…

with a cup of coffee in hand,

you and I are going to sit down

and talk.

Because that conversation with you…

will be my best birthday gift!