Passion and determination.  These are traits I truly admire in others. Why? Because they are areas that I feel slightly lacking in my own life.  I strive to approach things in life with both passion and determination, however, more often than not my passion burns hot and fast and I’m on to the next task before finishing the first.

Though I don’t (yet) have a passion to pursue with dogged determination, I am lucky enough to have a front row view from the sidelines of someone else pursuing their own.

My husband.

There has never been any question as to what Andrew’s true passion is – aviation.  I’ve heard the stories of Andrew as a young child thumbing through his grandfather’s flying magazines.  I’ve seen the proof in the pictures of his longtime love for all things plane…

Never have I see someone with such an intense and focused passion.  And although I can tire of hearing about ailerons and lift, of watching endless videos of flight on YouTube, I am endlessly impressed by his commitment to this crazy thing he loves.

Andrew’s determination to pursue all paths towards flying has been steadfast and inspiring.  Over the years his efforts to become a pilot have been thwarted by everything from finances to job transfers to inaccessibility of airports.  Yet through it all, he has never lost his commitment to making it happen.  He’s saved, he’s studied, he’s learned the logistics of every airport in the area.  To many it would seem like time wasted; to Andrew it’s a mix of joy, purpose, and pure tenacity.

And the magical thing that happens when you pour your heart and soul and efforts into something is that dreams come true. My husband doesn’t wait around for his dreams to be fulfilled, he tirelessly works to make them happen; which is such an incredible trait to see played out, and one that I envy (and strive for) more than a little. Because trust me, nothing about flying is easy, even for an aviation enthusiast.

So, at long last, I’m so glad to see that magic happening and his dreams coming true.  For the last few weeks Andrew has been back behind the yoke taking flight lessons. Yesterday, though it makes his mother and I cringe to think about, he took flight on his own, piloting the plane solo. Next stop is his pilot’s license and a lifetime of aviation adventure together.

So keep reaching for the sky…With enough passion, determination, time, and effort dreams can come true – and there’s a whole lot of hope and happiness to be found along the way.

(Thanks for being an inspiration handsome hubs!)