Proud of you

Warning! The following announcement has nothing to do with paragliding or flying (though you may think I could have been high when I wrote it). I am just taking advantage of my access to this forum to offer a sincere and heartfelt expression of irrepressible positive sentiments. Persons with severe conditions of cynicism or apathy should avoid the following paragraphs - they may evoke gastric discomfort, nausea or even emetic discharge. You have been warned.

Thanks to anyone who is still reading. I try to limit my contributions to this website to flying topics, but right now I just can't help it - I'm overflowing with positive feelings right now. I tend to be suspicious about feelings of pride. But today I am so completely and unabashedly proud! (I did warn you.)

I'm proud to have taken part in yesterday's historic presidential election. I haven't felt this optimistic in many years, and I'm finding myself suspiciously hopeful about the prospect of a brighter future for the whole world. (I told you, cynics, stop reading right now!)

And I'm proud to know an extraordinary person like Quentin, who, despite a disappointing loss in yesterday's State House contest, sets an example for the rest of us in his unceasing quest to lead and serve his community. Our little flying community is certainly far greater as a result of his years of service and counsel to us, and no matter what happens in his civic life, we hope that he will continue to be a leader in the flying world. (Cynics, close your browser now, it only gets more positive from here.)

And finally, I'm proud to know such an incredibly diverse and yet relentlessly single-minded group of fine pilots and friends like you, who were repeatedly willing to take time out from your busy schedules (and the tireless pursuit of your passion for airtime) to help our friend Quentin during his campaign. I am deeply impressed by the good will and support you all showed for our friend, regardless of your political affiliations - and I hope you are at least a little bit proud of yourselves today! (If you made it this far, thanks again, you are either truly desperate for reading material or you may want to get yourself checked out - you could be suffering from the same positive feelings of mass delusion that have infected me!)

Now back to your regularly scheduled program of paragliding articles - let's get out there and do some flying worth writing about!