Whenever someone gets nice and hurt there are the usual questions. What happened? How could it have been prevented? And the creeping thought; "Would I have done any different? Any better?" Too often not enough information comes in. We go around trying to get a number of perspectives just to get one good idea of what happened. Ever notice how many malfunctions are called "I don't know?" Most of them, it turns out. And how many bruises and breaks are inflicted mysteriously? Mysterious, that is, to the one who knew the least when it was needed most.
Another aspect of injurious behavior is the embarrassment. Embarrassment over the incident and the crippling effects of embarrassment that prevents us from asking someone what we did. Once we get hurt, how fast are we to learn how not to do so again? Suddenly, as if recently anointed, there appear dozens of ersatz "instructors" too ready to disperse their wisdom. But what actually gets learned? Does anyone ever really pursue a course of instruction to prevent further injury? Sadly, no.
Sometimes it's easy to understand what went wrong. Often it's a technical maneuver that needs correcting in order to execute properly. For these problems there is a source for learning. Some dropzones may offer further instruction in canopy control to help with landing troubles. All DZ's should provide equipment and instructors to help in staying current with malfunction procedures. USPA is working on enhancing its initial instructional program to include such topics as canopy control and spotting. Recently, a few dropzones have sensed this need and independent schools with just this form of education are beginning to appear.
Sometimes the required learning is best suited to a good therapist. There's only so much one can do for the cocky, self assured individual with no skill to back up the claim. And too often the claim is made mid flight.
But what's confusing to the non-therapist is the human proclivity toward self education with an ignorant instructor. Especially when there seems no shortage of available knowledge if one would only ask. Another enigma of the human makeup is the passion for learning it all now. And the posing necessary to maintain the image of a learned one in lieu of real intelligence.
How does one teach patience and the concept of all things in their own time? How might we learn that no matter how hard we try to perform otherwise, the elements ultimately win? Laws of the universe prevail. Broken bodies and disfigured pride are seldom the acquisitions of wise decisions or solid knowledge. What would it take for us to take advantage of all the knowledge that's out there? What would it take to never get hurt, yet progress in the direction we wish to pursue? Surely we can't all want nothing more than to remain somewhat stagnant; warm and secure in the embryonic state of student days when coddling and ever present guidance were with us every baby step of the way. So how do we make the trip out of "studentia" and into the world of skill based knowledge? (And who among us is in possession of the ego that declares independence from perpetual student status? When are we no longer in need of learning?)
Already at least three of our own Ranch members have been hurt yet the Ranch season has barely started. Some were the accidents of the neophyte. Some were ignorance - not enough knowledge while attempting to broaden skill. And there was also the shroud of ego infested pride. Can we all guarantee that, though we're not impervious to accident, we won't make those same mistakes?
We need to question our motivations as rigorously as we need to question what went wrong. And we need to settle our differences with pride. It'll kill you.
So prepare for the new season and along with it a new opportunity to grow and learn. Learning is armament against injury. It's the season to build an arsenal. Ask how.
Kim Emerson, S&TA