The Way to Fly

I discovered Richard Bach, the American author, through a friend. She lent me ‘The Bridge Across Forever’ and I was hooked because of the perspective. At that time, true love, one soulmate sounded oxymorons but his story of how he met Leslie Parrish was mesmerising.

For a long time, one of the books by Richard Bach travelled with me in my backpack. I was hopping across places, finding myself, looking at opportunities, wondering about potential. I desperately needed to believe in wings. I needed to find answers and to be assured that it was alright to explore alternate realities. ‘One’ came to my rescue. I dreamt on, marvelling at what could be done in alternate worlds.

In a second hand book shop, I unearthed a book on the airliners around the world. Having read Bach and his love for aviation, I was already dreaming of biplanes and barnstorming. I was thinking in terms of rides above farms and towns. Those airliners made me dream some more.

‘Illusions’ was fantastic, for I thumbed open to any page to get inspired. The Messiah was flippant and cool.

I read ‘Jonathan Livingstone Seagull’ eagerly where the simple tale of a seagull uses flight as a metaphor. ‘A Gift of Wings’ opened my mind to a world very different to my own.

Over that tumultuous period in my life, Richard Bach never really left my consciousness. I had his books with me always and their presence comforted me. Even though now I have read much more and many more, but Bach would always remain a guiding light.

“Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding, find out what you already know, and you’ll see the way to fly.” – Richard Bach