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An Impossible Dream....
I am Stephanie's uncle Mac. As a child of the late 60's my musical tastes were typical: Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Eric Clapton, and so on. However, there was one song that definitely did not fit in that category and yet it completely mesmerized me. I would listen to it over and over. Even my mother remarked at how unusual it was. It was a song called “The Impossible Dream” from the Broadway play “Man of La Mancha”, which was based on Don Quixote by Cervantes. Even more unusual, it was sung by Jack Jones, a clean cut, JC Penney's male model type in suit and tie!
However, it was the idealism of the lyrics that captivated me; that someone would dare to attempt something that seemed completely beyond normal limits, and even if they failed, it would be worth the effort.
My niece Stephanie has an “impossible” dream: to become a pilot. Please consider her story:
Dear Reader
“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
I know that might sound completely corny but I consider myself a quote connoisseur and no other quote has rung more true for me. I remember the time I first knew I wanted to fly. We were on a road trip with my Dad. The windows were open and I couldn’t stop staring at the sky. I could feel it in my bones that, if such a way of life existed, I wanted to spend it there, above the clouds.
As I got older and started to feel the pressure of society, I always remembered that moment. To be a pilot; what a dream to be able to wake up every morning knowing that you got to go to work doing something as magnificent as flying. My uncle had a little bit of experience with learning to fly as a teenager (although his dream was cut short and he never got his license) and so when I told him of my dream he bought me a 30 minute discovery flight. From then on I knew where I belonged, in the sky.
This fantasy came to a sudden halt when I realized that this dream had a price, a literal and extravagant price. I come from a family that has had little and often no money. In addition, understanding that I was in an unstable living environment, I knew my first priority had to be independence. Although I had already moved out of my home and lived with a girl friend's family through high school, I hit the road when I was seventeen with the goal of gaining security within my own means.
Thus began a whirlwind of struggling to make ends meet. This meant that flight lessons would have to be set on the back burner, although never forgotten. My dream keeps me going, keeps me hopeful. I have two jobs and feel as though I’ve been on a treadmill ever since, working merely to survive. I never lose hope but sometimes feel helpless when it comes to achieving such a luxury as being able to fly an airplane, much less being paid to. I feel that no matter how hard I try I won't be able to afford it with my own limited means.
In the spirit of not giving up, I’ve continued making steps, baby steps. I attended a community college where I took two semesters towards a degree as a Professional Pilot. This schooling included a ground school course and was comprised mostly of a group of military students who knew it all. They were just looking for the piece of paper to make it official...and I was left behind. I was so happy to pass that I cried as soon as I shut my car door. This course of study came to an end upon realizing that, even after if I finished this degree, I would only be left holding a private pilot’s license (which had to be paid for out of pocket) and more school loans than I would know what to do with.
I continue to take small steps when possible. I have networked my way into a few flights here and there and I managed to get my student pilot’s license and pass my medical. So now here I am, twenty five years old and so I’ve attempted to make up for this failed attempt by gaining experiences. I’ve lived all over the country and met some amazing people. In the end it boils down to me giving it my best shot, and I’m ready. I want to wake up every morning and know that I did what no one believed I could. I want to be one of the few who realizes their dream and makes it happen, if only to prove it to my 7 year-old self that anything is possible.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Stephanie Jean Hitzing – future pilot
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If you would like to help Stephanie with her impossible dream, please consider donating to her cause.
We ask that you only contribute with a cheerful heart, not out of any compulsion. Even a small amount multiplied by many will go a long way.
Perhaps you cannot contribute but you know someone who would consider this a worthwhile cause. Perhaps you have an innovative idea of an alternate way of helping Stephanie achieve her goal. A contact, a scholarship, or perhaps you are designing the next Angry Birds app and are willing to share a portion of the proceeds. We are open to anything.
Again, thanks for taking the time to read and consider this.
NOTE: If you have trouble with the Credit Card option choose the PayPal option using the the "Buy as a guest" option. Just click the initial PayPal button and then on the second page look down where the credit card icons are and choose the guest option. Thanks.
Mac Smith, Stephanie's uncle
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