My son was given a stunt kite for his birthday and was very keen to try it out. But after days and weeks and seemingly years of gusty weather, yesterday evening was completely becalmed.  The kite needs at least 8km/h winds to fly in and without that breeze, I would have to run.  I would have to keep running at 7.5 minutes per kilometre.  I can do that.  That is fairly slow and I can run at that speed for an hour, w=even when I am unfit.  But then I would be spending my entire time running, and not a lot of it stunting – this would be an exercise in having the kite aloft, not anything more fun than that.

For how long do I need to run before the running, the sheer chore of making the weather that suits my kite, overtakes all the joy of that soaring dipping darting red and blue and yellow kite?

It becomes all about the running; all about making my own weather.

Sometimes I am doing what I love doing: flying a kite, researching deep inside the gene, or painting pictures.  But then maintaining the the structure that makes my passion possible starts to take up all my time and effort.  I can’t plan: I don’t have control and I don’t have fun; I simply sweat and run.

Then analysis can help and someone who can provide perspective.  I see what I am doing and compare it with what others are doing.  Then I can plan.  Then I can share responsibilities and experiences.  I learn that the wind comes up for a few hours in the early morning on the beach and when I go there at that time I play with that breeze and use the flow.  And when the wind is not blowing I clean and dry the kite.  No more forcing the issue.