If Only I Had Wings
In 1903 the Wright brothers successfully completed their first flight. The technological advancement of the airplane forever changed the lives of people by opening up doors to the world and expanding the understanding of different societies and cultures. The Wright brothers probably never imagined the large impact that airplanes would bring to the world, especially for a certain individual who was to be born seventy-nine years later, in a small town in Indiana. This particular individual is myself, and because of the invention of airplanes my life has been greatly impacted. The airplane has not only influenced my academic career, but more importantly has shaped who I have become as an individual, and will continue to do so for the remainder of my life.
It is important to acknowledge that despite my appreciation for the Wright brothers’ successful creation of the airplane and that I would not be who I am today without the airplane, I am petrified of flying. Ever since I can remember, I have experienced an intense fear of flying, but in today’s world it is almost impossible to avoid technology. Age and experience have allowed me to suppress my fear of flying while traveling. The suppression of my fear has allowed me to develop into the person that I am, both academically and personally. I am originally from New Hampshire, where all of my immediate family still remains. My family is a very close-knit unit, and we enjoy spending time together. The technology of airplanes provides me with the luxury of flying home and seeing them when I please. Due to the importance of my family, I can guarantee that if it were not for the airplane I would not be out here in Colorado pursuing my studies. Furthermore, airplanes give me the ability to choose any university to study at, even if it is not in New Hampshire, and therefore enhancing my academic career. Airplanes have made me more independent and well rounded both as a student and an individual. The University of Colorado has provided me with the experience and knowledge about different subject matters, such as Bilingual Education and water conservation. Furthermore, I am living independently from my family, which is impossible to avoid considering two thousand miles separate us. I live in a different part of the country, establishing a different life, getting a better education, and yet I am still connected to my family by one simple plane ride.
Education is a broad term, and therefore it cannot solely be defined by my academic career at any school that I have attended. The technology of airplanes has opened up the doors to international travel. I have had the luxury of traveling to foreign countries, such as Spain and Germany, which opened my eyes to different cultures and societies. It has helped shape my identity by allowing myself to see how others live and prosper in this world. If airplanes were not in existence it would have been virtually impossible for me to experience these two awesome journeys before the age of twenty. Airplanes have allowed me to see the world.
Airplanes have succeeded in opening my eyes to a new life, world, and a greater education. Without those bone chilling flying beasts of steel I would not be the person I am today. Airplanes may be intimidating to me, but out of this intimidation has arisen a respect. A respect and realization that fortunately, or unfortunately, in the future, I will be depending on these machines to maintain what is most important to me as an individual; a close knit family structure and personal growth as an individual. Technology is an unavoidable part of the everyday world, and instead of running from it, it is time to embrace it. I am beginning to see airplanes as a technological advancement that gives me the wings to fly throughout my life.