Falling

      The air was hitting my body with a force that I could not even begin to explain. I was falling. The plane was becoming smaller and smaller as I plummeted towards the earth below. My mind started to wonder back on my life and all of the things that I have not yet done. Fifteen years old and I had never kissed a girl or even felt the warmth of falling "in love". Why didn't I tell my parents that I loved them when I said good-bye at the airport?
      My father had suggested that I go with my Uncle Tom on a missionary trip during my summer vacation from school. I was going to be a Junior this coming school year and I was not too excited about it. That meant one more step closer to the real world and all that was hiding out there waiting for me; not an exciting thought. So, I went along with my fathers wishes and headed off to Florida to meet up with my Uncle Tom. He was excited to see me for the fact that I was willing to go with him on the trip. My Uncle was a good man. His church had been funding his missions for over ten years and my Uncle seemed to always bring back positive memories and accounts to his church and the members. This mission was going to bring us down south into Mexico.
      While flying over the drop site, I had been in the back of the plane helping my Uncle strap in the crates and to set them up with parachutes to drop. My Uncle Tom would yell out the word NOW, telling me to release the straps holding the crates allowing them to be dropped out of the 150 mile an hour plane at 2000 feet above the ground. The crates would then slowly fall to the ground below for the refugees to have food and medical supplies. I had already released 3 sets of crates and was quite confident by now with my small but vital task. My Uncle Tom yelled Now and I released the next set of crates. I felt something moving on my pant leg so I looked down and realized that in the process of strapping this set of crates I had somehow tangled my ankle into one of the straps attached to them. I quickly yelled for my Uncle and started to bend down to release myself when suddenly I was yanked to the floor of the plane and dragged out into the cold air with the crates.
      My body quickly became numb from the cold and vicious air. I frantically worked on untangling the strap around my ankle. I was finally able to jerk my shoe off and slide my ankle out of the strap. Just then the parachute opened up for the crates to slow down. At that moment, I realized I made a big mistake as I sped past the crates. Why didn't I stay attached to the strap; I might have had a chance. All I could do now was wait for that moment of impact while I tried to understand what my Uncle was going through up on the plane. He would not be bringing home positive memories to the church this time. I felt sorry for him; he was responsible for me while on the mission. I knew this was not his doing. My own carelessness caused my soon to be demise. I hope my family will understand that.
      The plane was only a small dot now so I knew I was close to the ground. The air became warmer and I started to get feeling back into my body. I suddenly realized that was not a good thing; hitting the ground with feeling compared to being numb! I would choose numb anytime.
I could hear the ground coming up on me. I closed my eyes one last time and thanked God for the time I had with my family and friends. I hit the ground with an impact that I had never imagined possible.
      Then I woke up. My bed was soaked from my body sweating and I was breathing heavily. It was only a dream. I was never on that plane. I was never falling. I set up and kicked my legs over the side of my bed. As I layed my forehead into my palms and rested my elbows on my knees I realized that I was not going to live another day without saying or doing everything that I was put on this earth for. My parents will never hear me say good-bye without an "I love you" ever again. My dream that I had just dreamt woke my mind and body up to what matters in my life.
      Thank you God for allowing me to fall so that you may pick me up.