" Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah ... "

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah 

Zip-A-Dee-A 

My oh my, what a wonderful day

Plenty of sunshine heading my way

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah

Zip-A-Dee-A

Mister bluebird on my shoulder

It's the truth

It's actual

Everything is satisfactual

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah

Zip-A-Dee-A

Wonderful feeling

Wonderful day

Yeah

~ Aly & AJ ~ Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah ~

***

Four words ... Zip line At The Park.  Yep, that is what we did on my birthday this year.  Russell said to me, “let’s make it memorable”.  Now to be honest, I didn’t really give it much thought.  At least not until the morning of ... which is when I realized what I was about to do and said to myself ... am I crazy?  Then I figured, well what’s the worst thing that could happen ...

So why not?  How else to experience turning 43 years old than zip lining from the top of Canada Olympic Park’s ski jump tower.  Consider North America’s fastest zip line, you can fly down the cable system reaching speeds between 120 and 140 km/h.  Now those that don’t know, this ski jump was popular in the 1988 Winter Olympics and is 500 metres long with a vertical drop of more than 100 metres.

Here is a play by play for you ....

As we approached the site, I remember looking way way up the hill and still thinking I had time to chicken out.  But I didn’t.  Inside the staff was great, super helpful and very young.  Most if not all had experienced the zip line and said it was a load of fun.  And they still had all their limbs to show for it!!  So we checked in, got our quick instructions, suited up and even got cameras on our helmet to capture our rides.  Speaking of rides, the first one is a trial, to show you all the positions ... to start, to fly and then to brace yourself at the end.  Looking around, there were all ages too, which was cool to see as upon meeting the restrictions, it can be a family event.

Once thru the trial line at the base of the hill, we all got into a school bus that drove us up the windy road.  And since we had to carry our harness et al, it wasn’t the most comfortable sitting down but the ride was short.  Next we made our way up the tower via an elevator to the zip line floor.  It was really cool realizing this was the very spot our Olympic athletes jumped from 24 years ago.  And ... this was also the most frightening moment for most of us.  Some had to excuse themselves to the loo ... others just froze ... and others were so keen, first in line, ready to go! ...

We made our way to the front, with Russell on one line and I on the other.  The staff chats you up, probably to ease your nerves, while asking how fast you wanna go.  This determines when your parachute is released, right away (me) or part way down the hill (of course, Russell).  Then your harness gets hooked in, three in all, and your trolley above is online.  That is pretty much it.  Yep, three hooks and a trolley.  

As you can see from the raw footage, after my initial scream, I was simply flying like a bird ... and it is simply awesome!! 

FOOTAGE 
~   http://youtu.be/eqRJ-x6yEMA (me)
~ http://youtu.be/3YMvky__rDI  (Russell)

" These Are The Moments ... "

And these are the moments,
I know heaven must exist.
And these are the moments,
I know all I need is this,
I have all I've waited for,
And I could not ask for more ...
And these are the moments,
I thank God that I'm alive.
And these are the moments,
I'll remember all my life.
I've got all I've Waited for,
And I could not ask for more.

~ Sarah Evans ~ These Are The Moments ~

***

Some moments are “memorable”, others as “unforgettable” ...   times in our lives that define us as a person and add to our life experience ... life lessons resulting in a sense of maturity and new found wisdom.  Most of us agree these are our defining moments ~ a point in life when decision meets action.

Some examples of powerful defining moments are:

• facing consequential decisions regarding a relationship
• confronting the need for change in a career
• tackling a life threatening illness

Regardless, what the moment represent is more important than the actual circumstances.  And these moments don’t have to be so monumental as the above.  Every day we have defining moments that are created by action. Small or big these moments determine who we are to a large extent.  

Yet the vast majority of people go through life without the awareness of the power of the defining moment.  You see we face these moments more often than we realize, and it is because we face them so frequently and so rapidly that we fail to recognize them for what they are.

Character revealing ... How you handle a difficult circumstance has a lasting impact on others and likely you.  Often the hardest conversation we can have during difficult periods is the one we have with ourselves ... this defines us.

Challenge your status quo ... We would play out the same script if all our decisions and actions were merely a replay of what we already know.  Taking a step back, breathing and gaining a fresh perspective for what is at stake and what it calls for us to do and be ... this defines us.  

But the true power of the defining moment is in repetition.  When repetition becomes consistent, we create patterns that become habits.  Habits become personality traits and these define who we are.  Stretching ourselves displays our willingness to push the boundaries of our comfort zone, because in our most difficult times comes the greatest learning and growth.  Have a profound respect for the unknown is where learning begins, as personality is the public face, but character comes from within.