Checking Off the Bucket List... Jumping out of a Plane

So recently, I decided to go skydiving.  This is something I've wanted to do for a while.
It was interesting to look around at the other civilian skydivers.  One that stood out to me were Perry.  Perry is in his fifties.  He just lost his job of thirty years and seemed to live a simple and perhaps lonely life.  He doesn't own a computer or cell phone.  When he was 19, he went through military jump school.  He received 2 weeks of training before he was injured and left the program.  He never actually jumped.  As he talked about this experience, he said something like "I always thought I would jump", but with this uncertainty.  He didn't actually know if he would have.  At this time of uncertainty in his life,  this is what he chose to do.  I think he needed to resolve this unknown part of himself.  He needed to know that he could do this hard thing.
I didn't come into this afraid.  For me this was just another exciting adventure.  Although I used to be terrified of elevators, heights don't scare me, but excite me.  I didn't think I would be afraid, but I also didn't know how I would actually respond.  There was this unpredictability factor. 
I learned a little bit about myself through this experience.  I think I have an unusually large amount of self control, maybe it is stubbornness...
I was completely in control the entire time leading up to the jump.  I trusted my instructor (an Australian ? military guy who put me at ease right away, but also took everything very seriously.) I really had no fear, not even while hanging out of the edge of the plane.
Until....
Falling... My body went into code red panic mode. Every alert was up "This is not supposed to happen!"  My body froze and I shut my eyes.
 As we began to feel more stable, although still falling, my mind began to take over again and I realized this was something I chose to do.  Every sense was in overload and it was magnificent!  Fighting against gravity, I could experience a whole new world (I think I just quoted Aladdin...but I totally get that now!)

  I think some people think that you jump to get this adrenaline high, that exciting, stomach leaping feeling, but it was way more than that for me.  The part of me that craves traveling and is in awe of beauty and experiences was completely satisfied in a way that it never had been before.  I was a piece of the sky!  In every part of my being...
Adam then pulled the parachute and the experience changed.  We were now gliding completely peacefully through the sky.  We could now hear each other and talked a bit.  I get why he loves this!  He showed me how to steer the parachute and gave me complete control.  What a joy! 
The landing was smooth.  We slid right in with Adam taking the brunt of the force. 
And it all concluded with a "Welcome to the skies."