Flying Dreams

            Growing up, I was never really into superheroes.  I didn’t watch the movies, I never had the comic books (all I had was Calvin and Hobbes), and I never ever bought any of the action figures or toys.  When I got into middle school and beyond, superheroes were just becoming big and mainstream, and yet I couldn’t participate in any conversation about them.  I knew nothing; not what superheroes there were, not their backstories, their nemeses, their powers, nor the plots wrapped around and between them.  I never minded much – to be honest I didn’t care, there were far more interesting things to me than superheroes.  To this day I have never really gotten into any superhero franchises, and I am still very ignorant and generally apathetic towards the constant stream of movie releases (Hollywood is really obsessed with superhero franchises these days aren’t they).  And yet, despite all that, I still have always known exactly what superpower I would choose if given the option: flight.

            The “flying dream” is an archetype, almost a cliché.  Many people have had one (some even remember it – dreaming is weird), and often even have lucid experiences with them.  Some say we dream of flying because we are in some way destined to.  I once read that it’s actually because parents swing children around when they are still young and impressionable (no idea how true that is).  Some say flight is a metaphor in these dreams.  Perhaps you have difficulty taking off, or the air is like molasses, or you keep falling out of the sky.  Maybe all these things have a meaning for you, within the dream.  No one really knows, since dreams are still largely a mystery to humanity.  All I know is that I have always wanted to fly.

            When I think about it, it’s hard for me to identify exactly why I’d love to fly so much.  There are many reasons, but today I’m not really sure which one of them was the dominant one when I first thought that I wanted to fly.  Perhaps it was the sense of freedom it would afford me (even more than being able to drive).  I’ve always liked rollercoasters, so maybe it was that adrenaline-seeking exhilaration that I sought.  One reason that I think is more pertinent today is that being able to fly would let me see new perspectives on, well, everything.  Seeing things from above is very different and interesting.  It lets you get everything in perspective.  If you fly high enough it really becomes clear to you how big the world is.  Flight opens up not only the physical world to you, but also a new realm of perception and interpretation.

            Interestingly, when I first considered this prompt, my brain leapt to powers that don’t technically violate the laws of physics.  It’s one of my weird nerdisms, but even in fantasies I concern myself with ensuring that energy is always conserved.  Perhaps being able to fly would help with my suspension of disbelief – seeing as I’d have to suspend a whole lot of disbelief if I were flying around.  But alas, the fantasy realm of human flight is closed to us all.  For now, I guess, I’ll just make do with the dreams.