TIME TRAVELER

I guess we have all played the "super power" game at one time in our lives. "If you could have any super power in the world, what would you choose?" I think where we are in our life's journey often determines which super power we would desire.

Invisibility was a strong wish when I was really young. If I were invisible, I could go with my brothers with out their knowledge all those times they left me behind. "The Shadow" was a popular radio show at the time. The Shadow was able to "cloud men's minds" so they couldn't see him. You have no idea how hard I tried to cloud my brother's mind. Jimmy was my practice dummy and while I pretty much strained my brain trying, it never worked.

In my twenties, super endurance would have worked the best. Even though I had the stamina of youth on my side, I still had to sleep. Darn.


In my thirties when scuba diving was a passion and I was studying for a marine biology career, I thought the ability to breathe under water would be the very coolest. Then I would not have to care about decompression schedules or the "bends." I could explore the amazing sea at will.






Also craved invulnerability in those days when "Jaws" scared me out of the water and away from my dream occupation. I still have not forgiven Steven Spielberg.

When in my forties, and fifties, I thought flying would be the best super power. I think because flying frees us from earthly ties that bind and it epitomizes freedom. I believe this usually comes when we are feeling bogged down or restricted by life. I used to dream at night a lot about flying, still do actually, but not nearly as often.

I really am not good at flying in my dreams, a bit like the Greatest American Hero if you remember that show. He was a super hero who was not quite in control of his super powers. Like him, my take offs needed coaxing and landings weren't pretty. Never hurt nor frightened, just awkward. I definitely had a control problems flying and power lines were often my nemesis. Might have had something to do with my job at the time with the power company. Still flying dreams are quite exhilarating. Flying rocks.

Lately, oh yes, I still play the game as I am not completely grown up yet. Time Travel is my super power of choice. I do love history and think to be able to witness history actually happening would be marvelous. Being so much closer to the end of my life than the beginning, time travel is a natural choice for me. Going back in time to lengthen my stay on earth or going to the future to make sure there is one for my next of kin, is very appealing. I would love to see if we ever get it right as a human race.

I don't have a desire to interfere with history, though slipping poison in Hitler's tea when he was a young man would be almost impossible to resist. I am Trekkie enough to know you don't mess with the "space time continuum." I would just want to witness some of the wonders of history, not participate. I would prefer to witness the greatness of man, not his failings.

To see how the very young Jesus lived, the one not written about. To also see him as an adult, the man who changed so much of the world as we know it. To watch Michelangelo or Thomas Edison work. To follow Ben Franklin around, to lean over Mark Twain's shoulder, or to sit beside Thoreau on Walden Pond. I would fly with Lindbergh across the Atlantic, I would step with Neil Armstrong onto the moon. I would watch Mozart compose and Matisse paint. What a wonderful super power for a history buff. That would be my choice.

Ok, you know what is coming. What super power would you chose?