jumper03 0 #1 May 13, 2004 Reading Tonto's thread about anti depressants and jumping made me think really hard. I've never been on them - but I came back to the sport with the intent of wiggling out of the harness. See the email below that I sent to Jumptown before I left Boston. My point is, you may NEVER truly know someone's state of mind and until you go through the door the first time with them, how can you know? The guys at Jumptown are some of the best and I got past them. Had they not been the people and the DZ that they are, I probably wouldn't be here today. Just more food for thought. Email to Jumptown: Jumptown, As ya'll know, I don't usually say much. Most of the time I don't have anything to say and one of grandma's rules was if you don't have anything to say keep your mouth shut and you'll stay out of trouble. Sometimes though, you just got too much to say. So if you'll give me few minutes of your time now, there are a couple of things I'd like to say to you all (if you want to imagine a deep southern accent I won't mind but if you imagine maybe a Sean Connery accent it might give it a little more pop). For me, this year has been one to forget. I'm not exaggerating when I say this has been the worst year out of my 30 so far on this Earth and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Crap kept coming and coming, and what would come would be worse than the previous event. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, the bottom really dropped out. Maybe some day over a beer you can ask me about the year my life went to hell. One friend told me it sounded like a movie script. So when I came to Jumptown that rainy April night this year to sit through the FJC again to get back in the air, my mind was full of thoughts that if you had known, you would not have let me on that plane. But as I sat there in that class and saw the look in the eyes of those guys who had never jumped, I was jealous of what they were about to experience. That first time into the sky is undescribable. As was the second... and the third...well you guys know all about that. So I did my check dive with Keith and away I went. And I remembered what it was like to fly - what it was like to be around good people - what it was like to be somewhere that people cared about each other. I'm not ashamed to tell you I had tears in my eyes when I landed after that first jump back. So as the crap kept coming - I kept looking forward to the weekends and coming to J-town. I am convinced that with all that happened this year, skydiving and all the skydivers at Jumptown - all you wonderful skydivers at Jumptown - saved my life. How the hell do you repay that? Well - skydivers want the sky! And if I could, I would buy the club two super otters with enough Jet-A to run them continuously for the next ten years. (Maybe one day I win the lottery). On Dec. 5th, the last of my problems will be dealt with and the year of hell ended. I'll be defending my PhD and to celebrate and give back a fraction of what you have given me, I want to buy an Otter load for you guys. So on either the 6th or the 7th, weather permitting, an Otter load is on me. If someone wants to organize something that's fine. If it's 20 solos, that's fine too. You gave me the sky, I want to give it back to you. So pray to the weather gods for sunshine, I'll pray to the rock gods that I pass and we'll do this. I'd love to do it on the 5th, but the defense will most likely go 5+ hours and I seriously doubt I'll be in any shape to jump. If I'm able to stand and/or put two words together coherently on the evening of the 5th, then tragedy has befallen us as there isn't a drop of alcohol left on this planet. I love you guys. StevenScars remind us that the past is real Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve1 5 #2 May 13, 2004 Great post Steven, I've got to get my daughter skydiving. Depression runs in our family. My brother just drank himself to death a couple months ago. That was how he coped. My daughter was just accepted to Grad School but she doesn't feel like going because she is so down all the time. What a waste. She's a straight A-student. Valedictorian of her High School senior class. Beautiful. Yet she's depressed all the time. We got her on anti-depressants, but she's still having trouble. She made a tandem a couple years ago and loved every second of it. I hate the thought of introducing her to a dangerous sport, but maybe skydiving is just what she needs....Steve1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 10 #3 May 13, 2004 Quotebut I came back to the sport with the intent of wiggling out of the harness WOW...thats serious shit. Glad you didn't. I really hope that you feel life turn around for you. Just think of this..only a few people in the world have ever made a skydive..Much less almost 100. That is some accomplishment. A real, "no shit" big deal. Plus a PhD... Damn thats something. It's something I will probably never get. At times I wish I had done school not 3,000 jumps. So there are two VERY big things. Allow yourself to enjoy them. Good Luck with the defense...."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VanillaSkyGirl 6 #4 May 13, 2004 Oh my gosh...I am so incredibly glad that you decided to choose life and all the beautiful things that it has to offer. I can tell that you are a good person, and I hope that you continue to excel in life. Ron is right, just by skydiving and having a PhD., you are already a winner. Also, Ashley has made you a very happy man, lately. You two belong together. I wish you much love and happiness always. Btw, you and Ashley will always have my friendship. I feel like I know you two from your lovely posts. If you ever need a friend, I will be there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jumpinjackflash 0 #5 May 15, 2004 I've experienced the same, in a little different way... I'm sure your dz brothers and sisters, and many others are lovin life because your around. Driving home today, I looked over and my son smiled at me, it's amazing how incredibly wonderful the simple things can be. Depression damn near won and took him from me. Depression is dangerous beyond compare. For sure, skydiving proves to be incredibly therapy, without a doubt. In a large way, the dz has saved me as well, the last 2 years have sucked beyond belief, however, the best piece of sky I know is over our landing area, and getting anywhere near that real estate makes me grin like a 13 year old that just got a real good kiss!!! Peace, And Warmth, JackIt's a gas, gas, gas... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites flyinchicken 0 #6 May 15, 2004 Three years ago today I was sitting at home on my computer doped up on as much pot as I could smoke and not pass out. I had switched jobs, and a month into the new one, I knew I had made a mistake. My best friend and roomie was sniffing coke and incoherent, another friend just killed himself and another died suddenly during a simple opperation. No money to pay the bills and my career was in the toilette(Let's refrain to mention the bf sleeping with my other roomie). Sitting on a chat cam site trying to make myself laugh....came across SkYfIlTh. He saved my life. I didn't have enough money to make a jump, but he decided to fly me to Cali in Aug of that year for my first tandem. I've been hooked since...I'm still here. Once again... Thnx Sedge You saved my life brother! Skydiving is the cure for all. Good luck jumper...BLUE SKIES "Diligent observation leads to pure abstraction". Lari Pittman Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
jumpinjackflash 0 #5 May 15, 2004 I've experienced the same, in a little different way... I'm sure your dz brothers and sisters, and many others are lovin life because your around. Driving home today, I looked over and my son smiled at me, it's amazing how incredibly wonderful the simple things can be. Depression damn near won and took him from me. Depression is dangerous beyond compare. For sure, skydiving proves to be incredibly therapy, without a doubt. In a large way, the dz has saved me as well, the last 2 years have sucked beyond belief, however, the best piece of sky I know is over our landing area, and getting anywhere near that real estate makes me grin like a 13 year old that just got a real good kiss!!! Peace, And Warmth, JackIt's a gas, gas, gas... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyinchicken 0 #6 May 15, 2004 Three years ago today I was sitting at home on my computer doped up on as much pot as I could smoke and not pass out. I had switched jobs, and a month into the new one, I knew I had made a mistake. My best friend and roomie was sniffing coke and incoherent, another friend just killed himself and another died suddenly during a simple opperation. No money to pay the bills and my career was in the toilette(Let's refrain to mention the bf sleeping with my other roomie). Sitting on a chat cam site trying to make myself laugh....came across SkYfIlTh. He saved my life. I didn't have enough money to make a jump, but he decided to fly me to Cali in Aug of that year for my first tandem. I've been hooked since...I'm still here. Once again... Thnx Sedge You saved my life brother! Skydiving is the cure for all. Good luck jumper...BLUE SKIES "Diligent observation leads to pure abstraction". Lari Pittman Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
