Life or death: a disastrous attempt to land
VINAYA DUA
I am delighted to have been invited here to share my experience with you. What happened in the
year 1987 has edified my behavior and has had a noticeable impact on me.
In my youth, I had decided to cross the Atlantic by a hot air balloon with my admiring partner,
Per Lindstrand, attempting a record breaking balloon fight. However, after a ravaging attempt to
land, all my actions left me to deal with either death or survival. Standing beneath the world's
largest parachute as the balloon ran out of fuel, I was unable to concentrate due to a lack of sleep;
perhaps a foolish decision I had made the day prior to a salient event.
On the brink of crossing paths with death, I scribbled ‘goodbye’ notes for my loved ones. Alone
in the clouds while per leapt into the sea to save himself, I slapped myself to think of better ways
to save myself. Using the balloon as a parachute, I plummeted into the cold, icy sea, dependent
on the life jacket to work. I had survived!
This experience taught me alot about my potential even though I had problems such as dyslexia
which I overcame through the help of lateral thinking. It taught me that being calm and thinking
clearly is the way to conquer problems. Equally important, it told me to cherish life and
reminded me to constantly tell my family that I loved them.
Life has several ups and downs, but you have to face them without backing out. You have to face
them without panicking. You have to face them without getting psyched out. As someone
mentioned, ‘opportunity seldom rises with blood pressure.’ It would be great to see everyone
follow this piece of advice and find the answer you seek.