Kite-Flying, Goals and Life

When was the first time you learned to make kites fly? It was not easy, I assume; given there is a balance required to stabilize a mobile kite. 

Generally, the design of the kite is crucial. It is a not shaped ordinarily like any parallelogram and it has a tail. The shape allows air to pass at faster speed in the upper portion of the kite than the lower counterpart. This aids the kite to float in air. On the other hand, the kite’s tail maintains its upright position while flying and prevents it from spinning. 

Moreover, the wind is also an important factor. If there is not enough wind, the person controlling the kite has to move or run to give the kite the thrust needed to fly. On a different scenario, when there is a strong wind, it is advantageous as the person could remain stationary, since the kite has achieved the sufficient pressure to fly. Of course, all these things depend on a string that connects the person and the kite; which maintains the distance between them, and height of the kite.

Life in a similar way is like a kite. We design ourselves in a unique way for us to achieve higher. However, similar to a kite, wherein every design has to be simple and light enough for it not to fall, a person must be simple and clear to what his purpose is, and what are the things needed for him to achieve this. Furthermore, the bigger the kite, the harder for it fly. This is also true in life, such that the more we complicate things, the more we do not see our purpose and the things we need to achieve them. The purpose we have is like the kite’s tail, which keeps it upright. Our life’s purpose when it is absent makes us feel as if the world is turning, isn’t it?

Without the wind, the kite will not fly. Without problems in our lives, we cannot get the thrust needed to pursue our goals. Sometimes, the wind is so strong for the kite, but luckily it is attached to a string that keeps it from being lost in the air. Likewise, we cannot achieve our goals without the people, who support us in various ways. These include our family, friends and our loved ones. This support must be present always for us to keep track of where we are, and what we can still achieve.

However, kite-flying will never give us the thrill, if we just keep the kite at a safe distance. We wanted kites to fly higher, but when we do this, we put the kite more at risk as it may be blown away by stronger winds and the string may not be enough to control it. At times, in life, we allow people to go farther from us, believing it will help them achieve their goals in life. Sometimes, we are just contented seeing them fly higher, but farther from us. The farther the kite flies; the harder for us to control it. The farther people are from us, the harder it will be to remain attached with them. That is life! More danger will happen, when we try to pull the kite back nearer to us, because there is a tendency the string will break. Similarly, the more we try to pull people back to us; there is a risk that they will never come back. Worse, they will simply fall down like a kite, because of our fear for them or the kite not coming back.

A kite is not totally the same with a person wanting to achieve higher. This is because when a kite is destroyed by wind, we can still make another, but when we drag people down due to fear of losing them, we can never bring the lost opportunity back for them to get what they really want. However, we can never blame ourselves for “pulling” people nearer to us; it is just hard to feel the distance between we and them, in spite of knowing the distance may bring forth good things at the end.

Just a thought, we have been talking more about losing the kite, why have we not thought of “asking” the kite what it feels to be farther from the person who controls it. Being far may not be as thrilling as we once thought for the “kite”, as it goes farther and farther. Perhaps, the kite is going higher but “probably” worn-out and lonelier.