Five Awesome Things That Happen When You Go Fly A Kite

Summary

Flying a kite offers a refreshing break from daily routines and can lead to unexpected joys and a new appreciation for nature and the present moment.

Abstract

The author of the article recounts an impromptu kite-flying session with high school students at a park on a sunny day. Initially intending to respond to messages and tend to other tasks, the author instead becomes fully engaged in the simple act of flying a kite. This experience leads to a list of five positive outcomes: enjoying the beauty of the sky, finding a reprieve from personal worries, becoming more attuned to ambient sounds, gaining a newfound appreciation for the wind, and returning from the activity with a visible sense of enjoyment and rejuvenation. The author encourages readers to try kite-flying, suggesting that it is a delightful and beneficial way to spend time outdoors.

Opinions

The author believes that flying a kite can serve as an effective distraction from daily concerns, offering mental clarity and a fresh perspective.
Engaging in the act of kite-flying is seen as a way to connect with nature and experience its beauty in a direct and immersive manner.
The author suggests that the wind, often perceived as a nuisance, can be appreciated for its positive aspects, such as enabling the flight of a kite.
The article conveys that taking a brief break from technology and enjoying simple pleasures can significantly improve one's mood and well-being.
The author implies that the visible signs of having enjoyed time outdoors, such as windblown hair and rosy cheeks, are indicators of the joy derived from such activities.

Five Awesome Things That Happen When You Go Fly A Kite

Sun’s out, wind’s up. Grab a jacket and send up a kite.

Flying a kite was not on my to do list today. But sometimes unpredictable things happen and I ended up taking a group of my high school students to a park this afternoon to enjoy a few minutes outside on a rare sunny day.

On my way out the door, I remembered that I had a cheap, plastic kite stuffed in the back of my closet.

We went to the park and my students fanned out, swinging on swings, climbing the bleachers and looking for lost lacrosse balls in the woods. I was left alone, standing in the middle of the field, holding onto a yellow Transformers kite and a spool of thin white string.

My phone was in my pocket and I had some things I needed to catch up on. But the sun was bright and it was hard for me to see the screen. So instead of texting my mother-in-law back, I tossed the kite into the sky and watched as it danced aggressively upwards.

I spent the next fifteen minutes staring skyward as I watch the puffs and gusts of wind send the kite spiraling in an acrobatic display. You could argue that it was a complete waste of time.

But when I reeled the kite in and headed back to my classroom, I felt great. Much better than I would have had I spent fifteen minutes grading papers in my classroom.

Which is why I’m suggesting that you should go find a kite and send it aloft the next chance you get.

Here are five things that might happen if you do:

You’ll look up instead of down. The sky is beautiful. The colors, the clouds, and the occasional bird flying by are stunning. You can forget about the trash, the pavement, and all of your earth-bound surroundings when your focus is far up overhead. It’s like nature’s screensaver.

You’ll forget about your problems. It’s tricky to keep a kite in the sky, especially on a gusty day. When I was done, I realized that I had been so focused on that little yellow diamond that I hadn’t even thought about the meeting I have later tonight that I’ve been dreading. The meeting is still happening, but taking a break from thinking about it gave me a fresh perspective and I feel more ready now.

Your ears will hear new sounds. After a few minutes of looking skyward, I realized my ears were picking up sounds I wasn’t aware of on my walk to the park. I could hear distant cars, faraway birds, voices from the playground nearby. I heard a car wth a pumping bass as it approached and then passed the street where the park was.

You’ll think about the wind differently. The wind is a pain. It causes branches and leaves to fall in my yard. It makes my house cold and it blows trash out of the dumpster into the woods. I’m not usually happy about windy days. But watching it lift and play with my little kite, I appreciated the wind in a new way. It made me think that other things I find annoying might be useful in a different setting.

You’ll look awesome when you’re done. My hair was windblown and my cheeks were red. I was a little out of breath and smiling. When I reentered the building, several people made comments about how I looked like I had enjoyed myself outside. They were right. I did. And it showed.

Do it! Go fly a kite! You won’t regret it!