There are few things in the world that will bring me to a complete stop but a low flying crop duster is one of them. For 15 years, I had a five by five foot window right over my desk at work. I also had a field of never ending crops about 50 feet from that window. On those early mornings when that little yellow plane would start buzzing the field, my boss knew he wouldn't be getting much done form his only female employee. It might have been the first time, unknowingly, that I was on my learning to live in the Moment journey.
I am in awe of these pilots. You have to be crazy to be in this line of work. As I would watch the crop duster from afar, on his way in to drop another load of chemicals - you really imagine that he can't do that again. You can't help thinking, he can't always make it. If you think about it, they are a great example of taking chances. They must have a healthy sense of fear but not be overwhelmed by it all the while, enjoying the ride. I imagine that most of us keep our joyriding in check, more ruled by fear than we would ever want to admit.
So imagine my surprise Friday as I was waiting for my car to be repaired and I heard the familiar buzz. The repair shop is surrounded by farmland - and I couldn't get myself outside fast enough. They probably thought I was crazy the way I jumped up and ran outside with my camera. I don't know if the pilots are watching us, watching them. There has to be some showmanship in their blood, it can't be all about a paycheck. This particular show went on for about 10 minutes and then he was gone. While waiting for a new battery for my car seemed like the last thing I wanted to do that day, it turned out to make my day. You never know, do you?
