What a lovely autumn day here in England. Just perfect with a clear blue sky, the onset of the autumn colours from the trees, the crispness in the air to keep refreshed and invigorated once one has got into a decent pace for walking.
Early this morning I heard, and then saw, a hot air balloon high in the sky over my back garden and what a lovely spectacle it made. I am sure it was a delight for those on board too. So I was rather surprised to see another one, in fact two, this afternoon taking to the skies when I was on one of my walks between the tasks I was working on. It is so easy to forget to make the effort and take a well earned break, and mine was well rewarded.
The balloons made me think about what I do, and sometimes fail to keep doing. There is a lot of preparation that goes into launching a hot air balloon, much more than a casual thought really gives. Forgetting all of the preparation before arriving at site – such as purchase, training to be a pilot, weather forecasts and arranging for the due time and place of departure – there is a lot of activity on the ground. Activity also by people who don’t even get to take the flight, who then have to make sure they are at the point of landing too!
The sheer effort of getting the balloon ready for inflating and then launch is considerable. Once in the air, in flight, the wind will determine which direction you are going. There is only the periodic use of the burner to heat more air to keep the balloon at the desired altitude. Also the amount of fuel used to maintain altitude seems to be much less than the roaring flames to get the balloon airborne in the first place.
Now the simple questions that these sights in the sky asked of me were:
- What have I put all the effort into and just not put that final puff of hot air to make the difference? The difference to get airborne?
- Where am I failing to keep the burners aflame to keep the altitude correct?
- Where perhaps should I accept I am out of fuel and arrange a suitable landing – either temporary, or permanently?
- What should I start to do to create new skills, new opportunities, new views of new horizons?
Now those are tough questions and over the next couple of miles of walking it really did make me consider my preparation, my attitude and importantly my altitude.
Are you flying high? Perhaps now is a good time to puff some hot air into that question!
My best wishes,
Peter
