How To Fly A Plane

We all start on our knees.
Crawling.
With no way to move.
Immobile.
Stuck.
Pushing our way onto two feet.
In such a teetering stance.
We wonder if it would be safer just to sit back down.
But we take the risk.
Moving forward step by step.
We focus on our feet.
Seeing how those around us are doing.
Trying to catch up.
We think back to how it felt to crawl.
So far back did we do so.
A long time ago.
We run.
Away or towards.
We do not know.
A runner may run with you.
Or you with them.
For long hours you may try to keep pace.
But eventually they fall behind or sprint ahead.
You try to catch them. 
Going faster than you should.
You fall.
Feeling the shooting pain of not being fast enough.
Maybe you wait.
Slowing down for another runner.
Nothing good comes from stopping.
You can see the miles you’ve missed.
You stop to rest, placing your hand on a smooth surface.
A plane.
How it got there you are not quite sure.
You can’t tell if you are more surprised how quickly it came to you.
Or how fast you ran to it.
Hand on the handle.
You feel like looking back as the other runners.
But this is your plane.
You feel the now is so important you need to focus.
So you check the gas.
4 years.
Is that enough?
Suddenly sad, you look back.
At the winding path.
So long.
You feel mad.
Why such a long way to run?
A trail of doubt.
But wait.
How else would you have reached the plane.
You’re on a schedule now.
Time to depart.
You look back, seeing your favorite runners seated on the plane.
They have already flown their planes and are now here to help you.
Over the next month you fly.
Seeing where runners land.
Those places seem more intriguing.
Sometimes clouds block the way.
Landed runners can direct you. 
They are sometimes wrong.
Sometimes you get lost.
But the maps never lie.
Different countries you stop in. 
Sometimes coming back.
But usually you know that you never will.
Taking a few things to remember the stop with.
Maybe some runners get off and a few get on.
But you keep flying. 
You want to go everywhere.
But you know your gas will run out.
So you keep flying.
For when your gas runs out, you hope your knowledge of flying will earn you a better plane.
With more seats.
And more gas.
So you fly.
As you always will.
Enjoying the risk.
Enjoying the choice.