The Time of Times
...of my own. As a result, I found it very tough to sleep that night. I imagined all the ideas and concepts I could apply to my construction of this great aircraft—the feasible as well impossible. I felt exhilarated by the overwhelming possibilities. I was up for a real challenge. I stood ready to solve the puzzle of flight, so I turned to the open arms of the library. I started to read and experiment voraciously in search of answers to many of my inquiries. Beginning to gather the parts and pieces was not a simple task, especially as I grew more anxious for the finished product. I found myself out of tune with everything but building this noble jewel of the air. All my energy, my thoughts, and my effort went into its construction. As I combed the house for each essential piece, I constantly questioned the validity of my design. I acquired a motor from an old portable fan, yet I knew it would not do. I needed something lighter. As I searched endlessly for this fundamental component to propel my airplane, I hadn’t realized it was right under my nose. The Hot Wheels racecar set I received as a gift the preceding Christmas, had a small as well as powerful motor inside the toy car. My dad being a technician came to my assistance when he supplied me with the electrical equipment and explained how to switch on the motor. Along with giving me the parts, he gave me one of his famous lectures—which almost made infinity seem short—but I actually found his thoughts on persistence quite motivating. I believe that much of the success in my life has come from a burning passion to learn. With the addition of the wings, which literally took two days to make, my airplane was finally complete. Exiting my apartment I made my way downstairs to display my masterpiece to all the children of my apartment complex. In seconds, a ring of noisy kids engulfed me. I broke free and ran upstairs to my third-story patio, hoping they wouldn’t follow. It was time for the moment of truth. I looked out towards the open air, turned on the engine, and pressed the release button to set free the airplane into the sky. As the aircraft dropped, so did my hopes for success, but luckily the airplane managed to propel its w...