It's been a lifetime dream of JR's to be a pilot. It's been an uphill battle all the way.
It's not easy to save up for lessons when you have trouble finding good, steady employment. It's extremely difficult to get medical clearance when you have a "sensory disorder", as the FAA labeled it. It was suggested we lie on the application, not disclosing the medication he was on at the time. But we didn't feel like we could do that. So we got a rejection letter. By certified mail no less. The FAA is nothing if it's not thorough- they mailed a 2nd rejection letter for good measure. What should have been a simple matter became a huge hurdle. But we didn't let the dream die, he & I. Eventually we overcame that hurdle by going med-free and waiting 6 months before submitting a doctor's letter of recommendation. The magic piece of paper arrived in the mail. (Interesting that rejection comes in duplicate, but approval is singular.) Then we waited & waited -almost a year- for the flight instructor to have an opening. Now we gave up and selected a new flight instructor/flight school. I have a good feeling about this one- he's tough.
I tag along, not because my son isn't capable to handle this on his own, but because I'm nosy. And as always I'm my kids' personal paparazzi.
I want to shout out "Do you see that? That's my boy!!!"
Up there in that beautiful blue sky with puffy white clouds.
And I'll pretend I don't know that tiny little plane carries a $180,000 price tag and a $5000 insurance deductible. Gulp.
Perseverance pays off. We might not be first in line to hit all the traditional milestones, but we get there. He can do anything he sets his mind to. And this. This is one of the finest parenting moments a mom can have.
We've got a ways to go yet till he's licensed, but some day he is going to fly me somewhere. I just know it.
3 comments:
Congratulations, that is awesome!!
Love it!!
The lesson to us all is never, never give up. The harder the task the sweeter the reward. God Bless.
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