Taking a cue from Eric's blog..........here's my "personal prose essay" for AP English (a well thought out Englilish paper).......it's about flying, go figure.

As seen from above

Every once and a while, people do things that remove them from the world. I’m not talking about suicide, I’m referring to that magical, unforgettable moment that releases you from all the problems and pressures of the world you left behind. Often, this moment is fleeting, but it’s these moments that give us hope, sustain us, and allow us to go about our daily lives, undaunted.
That moment for me was on my first flight. My instructor had deemed me “competent to individually and safely handle the responsibilities of flight,” and thus authorized me to fly alone, unrestricted. This was more than just an authorization. What did this mean? Freedom.
Freedom to soar with the eagles, freedom to ride the air like a roller coaster, freedom to pilot my airplane gliding, tumbling, chasing the very wind as I alone was the master of my craft, master of my destiny. I was one with the aircraft. The airfoils, the smooth, sleek surface of the curved wings were extensions of my hands and arms. My mind alone powered the propeller, spinning, mesmerizing, driving the plane into the “wild blue yonder.” My eyes, once dependent on the instruments, were now fixed on the boundless horizon, admiring the rag-tag checkerboard of farms and fields from aloft. The sun was brighter, the grass was greener, the sky was bluer, and the clouds.......the clouds felt like they were close enough to touch. Higher, I climbed, to 2,000, then 3,000 feet, gaining altitude as well as admiration for the world I had lived in, as seen from the air. On to 4,000 feet, then 5,6, and 7,000 feet, daring Daedalus to stop me, as I climbed into the sky. All I had known was now before me, nothing but scenery compared to the ocean of air I could freely explore. For hours, I flew, time passing without notice or care.
The flight ended with a smooth landing, pure elation, and joy. These feelings are not dulled by time, no, nor are they confined to the air. I often catch myself staring into the sky, imagining myself freed from the shackles of the earth, soaring through the air, battling with gravity, time, and altitude- not for the view, not for a record, but all for the sake of flying.