Adam Baker: Choice Topic--Finding my Sacred Place in the Sky

The majesty of flight never ceases to captivate my mind and provides an escape from the trials and tribulations of daily life. Breaking the bounds of gravity and soaring through brilliant blue upon a pillow of meandering cumulus simply cannot be replicated. On October 24, I had the opportunity to take multiple flights across the northeastern United States between cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. For me, the thrill of taking flight is never-ending, and my trip reaffirmed that the skies can truly be a sacred place. Staring intently across the western horizon from my perch of 35,000 feet, I watched through broken clouds as the dark landscape below became richly illuminated by the rising sun from the east. How beautiful the new day was beginning. Clouds turned from vibrant orange to purest white and began to thicken on descent into Boston. For a few moments the aircraft skimmed their tops, almost hesitating to descend into the dark uncertainty below from clear, loftier places. Only moments prior to arrival did the plane emerge from its dense encasement, followed by a landing that brought me back down to reality. A bit later, I once more took to the skies, this time en route to Philadelphia. The ascent was quite rough as the aircraft climbed out of the weather and into less turbulent conditions. It is always quite remarkable to break into beautiful skies after being buffeted around by powerful storm patterns on climb-out. During the flight I realized that New York City was likely just a short distance off the right wing beneath the blanket of clouds. How was the day progressing there? I could only imagine the hustle and bustle thousands of feet below as I enjoyed the peacefulness of being one with the sky--man witnessing incredible interaction between nature and machine. How calm the world seemed. It seemed we were hardly moving--serenely suspended in limitless atmosphere--yet our ground speed was far closer to the speed of sound. Silently cutting through the sky, leaving one place behind and headed toward another, the aircraft would soon reunite some people and separate others--each placing great trust into the technological marvel carrying them through the natural elements. What a simple, yet complex, equation. The plane raced on, soon nearing its top of descent off the New Jersey coast. Then came one of the most incredible views I have ever experienced. Off the right wing, a circle of light reached from the broken cloud layer to the Atlantic. These incredible pillars were rays of sun filtering through the atmosphere. As if the scene was not brilliant enough, the aircraft produced a shadow on the cloud bank below surrounded by a prism of light. I photographed the scene extensively, but then simply stared in awe at the beauty. What other place could produce such magnificence? The sky was alive and speaking in a brilliant vibrance of light, and I felt included in that incredible conversation between sun, sky, clouds, and ground. Banking over the coastline, the aircraft followed vectors for its descent and landing, and we again returned to a dismal, dreary place. How quickly such a powerful, captivating image had disappeared into nothing but a memory. Returning to the real world, the plane touched down in Philadelphia, and I was flooded with emotion. The sky had undoubtedly proved a sacred place--a place of peace and connection with something greater than myself. How quickly I had left that place, but I shall return again another day--a new day with new altitudes to which I shall climb and new interactions in which I shall take part.