" To change direction in the winds of life,
a human being has to change altitude just like a balloon"
(Bertrand Piccard)
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Above
all, Bertrand Piccard was fascinated by the symbolic
importance of the adventure. Two centuries of scientific
development have resulted in enormous progress, but most
inventions have been aimed at controlling the forces of
nature. In a balloon on the other hand, pilots have to
submit to the elements and accept being swept along with
the air currents. A balloon can only fly at the same speed
and in the same direction as the wind. The sophisticated
technology that had to be developed was aimed solely at
better understanding our atmosphere in order to use
nature as an ally.
Much of life's sorrows arise from man's basic instinct
to be in control. It's difficult to accept that life will
take us in a direction that's not of our choosing.
A balloon flight forces us to recognise that our own
will counts for little in the face of the wind. Some
control is necessary, but it is limited to what is in
our power to control. In fact, a balloonist's freedom
is restricted to changing the flight level to find alternative
wind directions.
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