Yes, I have a fear of flying!

I used to love to fly on an airplane when going out of town. In fact, as a child I wanted to be a flight attendant when I grew up. It seems that as of the more recent years, I have become scared of flying. I am not exactly sure why, maybe years of movies about airplane crashes, or maybe it is just simply that I have absolutely no control as a passenger of an aircraft.
Regardless of why, the bottom line is that I am nervous about flying.

In the not too distant past, I was going to Florida to spend a week during Thanksgiving with my parents, in which I was to fly. Now this was not the first time I had flown, not the second or third either. I have flown many times in the past, but it just seems different now. As the time got closer and closer, I became more and more nervous about it. My father then told me, that he was going to be in Birmingham the weekend before my trip, so we could fly back to Florida together. That was a little comforting, but he has flown his whole adult life, traveling for his job almost every week. He was immune to it. He is the complete opposite of being nervous when flying. He can fall asleep the second the airplane begins to taxi down the runway.
Now, I know it must seem silly to most of you, thinking "why is she so nervous about flying; it is safer than driving a car; there is more of a chance of someone being hit by a bus, or whatever the statistics are....”
Well, I just cannot help it.

So, the day we were to fly out, dad and I were enjoying brunch at the country club with my sister, her family and my boyfriend. Then dad announces..."I have a surprise for you!" Then he said, "We are not flying commercial, we are flying on the corporate plane!" (Notice I did not say the corporate JET, but PLANE.) I think my face lost all color, and I became as white as a ghost (so to speak). My heart starting racing and I felt as if I was going to be sick.
Then my little niece could see the fear in my eyes and asked "Are you scared? I am sure you won't crash."
Ok, that made me feel better!!!
I couldn't even respond as no words could get past the huge lump in my throat.
Boyfriend reached over, grabbed my hand and just looked at me with his big dimple faced smile. Then he spoke the words I could not even force out...."she is terrified". Of course, my dad then started saying how much better it is because there is no airport hassle, and it is a direct flight instead of having to reconnect in Atlanta (which by the way is a nightmare of airports).
Sorry, I was still not convinced, but I talked myself into calming down.

After brunch, boyfriend drove dad and me to the little airport where the little plane was.
When I say little plane, I am not kidding....4 seater!
Once we were inside the airport, dad introduced me to the pilots (a young man, well probably my age, and a woman ~ neither were dressed in a uniform).
Uh, wait a minute....shouldn't they at least be wearing the uniform that has the little stripes on their shoulders and, I don't know, maybe some wings on their chest or something?

Okay, my stress level has reached an all time high at this point. I excuse myself to ladies room. When I return, the pilots...yes the pilots, are loading the suitcases on the plane.
Dad and I will have the whole plane to ourselves, all 4 seats!

With tears in my eyes, I go over to boyfriend; he puts his arms around me, kisses me on the forehead, leans over and whispers....."Can I have your computer?"
At least he made me laugh!
As we settled in our seats on the plane, the pilots went over the safety procedures and then told us where the cold drinks and snacks were.
Ok, here we go, the plane is moving.....so far, ok!
‘Hmmmmm.....I can still see the pilots, and the entire cockpit!’
I am actually watching them fly this plane. For a minute I am in complete amazement and forgot that I was petrified, but that only lasted for a minute.
I was clinching my hands on the armrests. We were building up speed, and about to take off. I look across the aisle (all 2 feet of it) and my dad is asleep!
So, now I am all alone in this plane....up up up we go.
Oh my goodness!
Ok, it's not too bad, pretty calm actually! I started to relax a bit. Then it was just amazing. The sun was peeking through the clouds below us.
WOW, clouds below us!
It turned out to be one of the best experiences I have ever had. It was better than the commercial flight, smooth, direct and no airport hassle. I even took pictures while up in the clouds.

I won't say that I am not afraid of flying anymore, but I do think that experience has helped.