Anatomy of Kite Flying
by Alfonsina Betancourt
This year Easter was dramatically different. Our son was looking forward to Easter Egg Hunt, which we celebrate yearly with family and closest friends. Obviously, we had to alter our normal plans and get creative. We did not order the usual chocolate ahead of time, so that left us with the question of what should the Easter Bunny bring this year.
I woke up early to make candy shaped like fish (the only mold I could find in my pantry). We filled plastic eggs from previous years with Cheerios, coins (yes, he loved that!), and goldfish crackers. While looking for materials, I found an unopened kite hidden in the basement. It certainly was placed in the backyard along with the eggs.
Although we missed our family, it was nice seeing our son laughing and running while looking for Easter Eggs. When he saw the kite, he hesitantly looked at us, unsure if he was supposed to take it.
The kite was colorful with the image of a macaw printed in the front and a long blue and red tail. He asked us to go outside to fly it. The day was not particularly windy, but we certainly tried. We soon discovered that if we ran the kite took some height. That was enough for our son to laugh. The image of him running away with the reel in hand, the kite flying low next to him certainly made us all smile. It was probably one of the highlights of the day.
During the following days, our son asked constantly if we could go outside to play with that flying macaw. We made an effort to understand to fly it better. As I had the reel in my hand trying to explain my four-year-old how we could increase our success rate at the matter, I realized flying a kite is not very different than learning how to live. What can a kite shows us about life?
Let’s learn to ride with the wind
Kites depend on an external factor: the wind. It does not matter if a kite is perfectly built; it can’t drift without it. But the wind is somewhat unpredictable. Life is not different. External circumstances always affect us, and we need to deal with them. Sometimes life is a breeze, sometimes it is a storm. The wind, as with any other problem, is the force that makes us fly or takes us down. It is our responsibility to learn to navigate the wind and life. We sometimes need to stay on the ground because the wind is too strong. We must realize that waiting for better conditions is our only option. It is quite a humbling experience to accept we cannot control all of our surroundings.
“I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the same hand, and we have the same soul.”
— Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Let’s stand in the right place, ready.
Before we release our kite, I ask our son: where is the wind coming from? I love seeing him with his eyes closed, feeling the wind on his face. This part is crucial. It seems to me like anchoring, like being present. Without it, it does not matter if we have the perfect wind, kite, or length to our line. No kite goes flying if we are not standing in the right place. Isn’t this how opportunities feel like? Our society puts a high value on people who take on opportunities and despise those who don’t. But a person can only perceive good chances when standing in the right position and being alert to his or her surroundings. We don’t find treasures with our eyes closed and our hands tied. Only by being alert, we can put ourselves in the most favorable position to take on opportunities.
Let’s put in our best effort.
We certainly have control of certain things: the reel, for example. We decide how many lines we release and how much effort. Too much too fast, and the kite falls down. Too little, and there is not enough tension to play with the wind. Wisdom comes from learning how much effort we must put in depending on external factors. Even when circumstances feel unpredictable, there are small lines we can hold on to and decide what we do with them. Life is not out of control, only certain aspects of it.
Let’s adapt
Flying a kite is not always possible, even if we want it with all our hearts. In my opinion, the biggest lesson I have gotten from kite flying is adaptability. There is no single formula. The factors are constantly changing. The challenges keep altering. It is a task that requires fluidity. Equally, rigidity is the bullet that tears away our wings in life. We need to be in a constant state of change to adapt to the circumstances. That is the only formula that prevails.
Let’s accept what we got
We had failed at flying our kite consistently, by my son and I realized that running several feet allowed his kite to go up slightly, enough to fill him with laughs and satisfaction. The moment we stopped running, the kite fell. Those few seconds of his laughs were enough for me, though. We never aimed to break the Guinness World Record of the highest-flown kite. Our mission was to have a good time, and we achieved it. And sometimes, that is all we can take out of a situation. And that is fine; that is enough.
I am glad our unusual Easter Egg Hunt made us look harder this year. It made us find our kite. We have not become experts yet, but we will keep improving our technique. Sometimes, when our kite flies high, I look at it in awe, the way it dances in the air with its long tail trailing behind. Occasionally, I wish I was like a kite, catching the wind, gliding away, dancing in the sky. But deep down, I wish I was more like the wind, overlooking happy boys laughing and taking their wishes to the sky, embracing the kite and letting it be.
