Journeymen

With the lack of posts, this month has been a handful. It is now spring break, and I finally have some time to reflect on such a tough month. Through it all, I have come to terms with one fact—there is always room for improvement. Instead of writing down all the complaints I have and the things I could’ve done better, I decided to remind myself—and hopefully others—of the fact that life goes on.

When life becomes a boxing match, we have to pace ourselves. We cannot get burnt out in the first round, or we will get knocked out. If we let life get the best of us, we can’t finish what we started. I have had my share of bad days, but yesterday felt like the worst of them all.

My flying career has been all over the place—flying for almost a year in one flight school, then having to switch and basically redo everything. That in itself has been draining, but on the bright side, I have learned so much more. At 50 hours, I finally had the chance to solo yesterday, and I felt ready. But one thing that will always be certain—and sometimes out of our control—is the fact that we will have bad days of flying.

Yesterday was the worst day I’ve ever had. I could not land the plane safely, my decision-making was poor, and everything was all over the place. I was not comfortable soloing, and once we landed, I felt horrible. Being someone who is hard on themselves, I tend to get upset when I do not perform accurately. I remember sitting in my car, rethinking it all—wondering if this was the right path for me, if I was truly meant to be a pilot.

There are moments in our lives that define us as humans. Most days will be great, and on the other end of the pendulum, we will have bad days. But those bad days do not make us bad at what we do. Those bad days fuel us, push us to be better, and drive us to work harder. I have had many bad days in my life, but the difference between today and the last time I failed was the fire burning inside my heart. We must persevere, show integrity, and remain loyal to ourselves.

To be a pilot, we are frontiersmen—we do what others will not. And this idea applies not just to being a pilot but to everything we choose to do in life.

Bad days hurt. They suck. They tear us down. But you are stronger. So instead of sulking over my bad day and thinking about giving up or quitting, I remember the word grit—to fight even when we’re tired, to never stop, to be relentless.

My favorite song in the whole world when I feel down is My Way by Frank Sinatra. It reminds me of all the pain and scars I have endured in my life and my continued choice to get back up. The song speaks to my soul and tells me not to give up—we’ve been through worse. It reminds me that no matter how long it takes, how hard it gets, or how painful the punches feel, we keep getting up.

“Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all, when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all, and I stood tall
And did it my way”

– Frank Sinatra “My Way”