MACH ONE
Mach one is the speed of an object travelling at the speed of sound. Mach one is the last moment before the epic sonic boom when you reach just slightly above Mach one and you break the sound barrier. Everyone gets excited at the idea of moving faster than the speed of sound, but that’s not what this post is all about. This blog is about the last moments before that happens. You know you will break through, but you haven’t done it yet. You are still hurtling through space, gathering speed, but not quite there yet. You are travelling at Mach one.
My husband is a pilot and aircraft enthusiast and so I enjoyed an amazing opportunity a few years ago. While attending a convention, we had the opportunity to ride in an Air France Concorde jet. We arrived at the airfield in a state of excitement and gratitude. Twenty minutes later we were strapped in and cleared for take off. The roar of the engines was the first clue that this was not an ordinary plane. From a distance, the Concorde looked graceful and elegant, but from inside, it was a finely tuned machine of immense power under pressure. If you think about it, parents are the same way.
If you ask any of us how we are, we are likely to say that we are fine and tell you our best good news about our kids or careers. We manage our homes, families and careers with seemingly endless grace and elegance, but, like the Concorde, things are a little different from the inside. From the inside, it is all about power under pressure. We have the power to change the mood in our homes with just a few words. We can foster feelings of encouragement, acceptance and love, or not. Our families’ sense of well-being is directly affected by how we handle all that power under pressure.
There is no moment when the pressure is gone. Pressures will mount from within and from outside our family. Pressure is a normal and manageable part of life and teaching our kids how to channel that pressure into positive experience is a much needed life skill. So what should we do?
I think we should remember. Remember that we have been under pressure before and we will likely be under it again. We have already come a long way and we are still travelling along, safely if not always comfortably, at the speed of sound. We move at the speed of the sound of our words, our sharing and most importantly, the sound of our stories.
Here’s the thing about moving along at Mach one. Even the magnificent Concorde shakes, heaves and lurches as it reaches the sound barrier. In the moments before breakthrough, it’s easy to feel nervous, even nauseous, but that is okay. That just means you are getting really close. As you keep climbing and moving forward and shaking and lurching and wondering, don’t forget to remember how far you have already come.
You are about to break through. Soon will come that thunderous clap; the sonic boom that both frightens and exhilarates. Soon you will be soaring again in the smooth air with a great view. Soon you will have one more memory to draw on the next time your aircraft experiences turbulence. You are teaching your children how to fly.
Remember, whether you are just buckling up and taxiing down the runway, or already in the throes of Mach one; you can handle anything when you keep your face to the sun.
Marilynn
Categories: General
