Hello friend,

“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” -Leonardo Da Vinci

To fly is divine, there is no question about it. I don't really mean the experience of a redeye flight at three in the morning sandwiched around four angsty toddlers and neighbors that don't understand the value of sharing armrests. No, I speak of the metaphorical process of soaring through existence, buoyed on wings of your design. Let me clarify.

As I approached the second half of my sophomore year, an interesting path was laid before me as I sat down in a room so that I could “Meet the Frats” on campus. After a couple weeks of the rush process, I was woken up on a cloudy California Monday to learn that I had received a bid from a brotherhood.

I hadn't entered the process of rushing believing that I would really actually finding a fraternity I wanted to be in. Not because of the fraternities, but rather my pre-suppositions of a fraternity. However, over those two weeks of getting to know some incredible people, I had a change of heart. Standing in front of my soon to be fraternity brothers, I felt like I had new legs to stand on.

That night, a Friday always, is known as Night of the Wings. The night where you receive an indicator of the fraternity you are now going through the process for. But, it was more than that. I now had Wings and over the past two years, they have been exactly that.

Wings, in this wonderful metaphor, are those people and activities that help lift you up. It’s not always a guarantee that those people or things will be your wings forever. There’s no way to know how high you’ll be flying when feathers start falling off. Graceful flight into a fall.

But, even falling can be falling with style. Even one feather creates wind resistance. However, it’s sometimes hard to even realize that your wings have been there, strapped to you in times of hardship. Your face may have just been glued to the floor.

So, go out. Look to the sky and new horizons. Find yourself in new rooms with new opportunities, especially if you can’t feel your wings right now. It requires some pushing of yourself, sometime. It requires an open mind when dealing with new scenarios. Finding feathers can be a process, but one that is worth it to help your wings flourish.

It’s important to remember that using your wings too much can bring you too close to the sun, which can lead to them falling off. Care for the people that lift you up, but don’t take their flapping power for granted. Hopefully if they help lift you up, you can do the same for them.

If you are falling right now, look up. Find your one feather. For me, my fraternity was instrumental in helping me through the dark times. I owe those men more than they will ever know. My family and close friends as well.

But, sometimes wings can be something you didnt expect would help you fly. I love art and writing. I love walking in nature by myself or with others. These wings help you in other times. My largest hope is that the therapy I find through writing about this sort of thing can be as much a feather for you as it is for me.

Fly high,