This is me

Let's take it from the top again.  20,000 feet.  Lay it all aside.  The broken plumbing.  The cracked demeanor. Everything.  You are here for one thing and one thing only: To Fly.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull explained it again for the millionth time, patiently, without a trace of rancor, irritation or weariness. 

The wanna-be-star-hopper swallowed his disappointment, the humiliation of defeat (yet again!), and with all the weariness of failure climbed into the sky.  They levelled off at 20,000 feet and looked down.  The sea was a clear sheet of shimmering blue-green glass flecked with spots of white.  The sunlight bounced off the white ocean floor.  The silvery glint of schools of fish flashed from under the water.

He looked down and felt all his experience came rushing out at him to scream defeat.  "You can't do it" 

Jonathan said nothing.  His face maintained a neutral expression but his eyes were alive with bright, expectant interest.  The trainee marvelled at it.  After being with me through a million failures he still looks at me expectantly.

Why not, the silence replied, its new every morning.  Nothing in all of experience will prepare you for today.   

He looked down at the sea.  Looked up at the sky.  Drew in a deep breath.  Closed his eyes and in that instance banished everything else.  Reopened his eyes and looked down.

20,000 feet.  Mark.

Go!

His body slid into the dive.  Gravity pulling him down.  He let the resistance go.  Faster. 

10,000 feet.

He forgot himself.  Only the joy of flight remained.

2,000 feet.

Level off at 300, he reminded himself.

The wind was a screech in his ears.  It was the most beautiful sound in the world.  His wings melded with the flow and he moved the tips a fraction.  His body began curving into level flight.  He felt like every bone in his body was about to break but unlike earlier he didn't let go of the joy.   He streaked over the water, a blur of white whooping.

Yes.  This is it.  This is me.