Violet Shern sat on her bed with her school supplies scattered everywhere except for where she was sitting. A piece of paper laid on top of a hard book was rested in her lap. “A Day I Will Never Forget” was written on the top of the page in neat cursive. Her father, William, spent many patient hours teaching her how to write in cursive when she was a little girl struggling to keep up with her other classmates. She was older now, smart and kind hearted. It was 1925 and Violet was now a senior in high school. As she was working on her school assignment, coulddn’t help but remember the day that she felt so happy and carefree with her father.

William double checked the engine and leaned up against the plane watching Violet approach. “You look real nice with those goggles on there!” he shouted as she walked closer, now embarrassed. He patted her on the head and guided her to the passenger seat. She was eight years old and about to fly in a plane for the first time with her father who was a pilot. William buckled her in and then took his seat at the wheel. Mrs. Shern stood on the porch, waving at her daughter and husband as the plane slowly started to move. Fear caused Violet to sit as if she had been frozen into place. “Dad, I don’t know if I will like this,” she said looking straight forward ccarefully so she wouldn’t move her body the slightest amount. The wheels were just off the ground and aside from being afraid, could imagine the happiness her father felt. He loved flying. At the dinner table of three, Violet and her mother would eat their food while listening to William talk about planes, flying them, and the places he saw. “One day, sweetheart, you will be right above the clouds with me,” he once told Violet.

They were now far up enough to where people looked as if they were ants walking around. Violet was more comfortable and decided to turn her head downward out the window to see beneath her. “Dad! The mountains look beautiful!” Violet was shocked to hear herself sound so excited. Her father told her they are almost as beautiful as his daughter. Violet rolled her eyes and tried to stop a smile. He was always saying things like that to her. It didn’t take long before Violet was having the time of her life. She felt so free and didn’t have a care in the world. William pointed out different lakes and mountains that she was familiar with and even found there house. Violet forgot the dangers of planes and was living in the moment with her father next to her.

Violet colored in the plane she drew on her paper and wiped the tears that slipped from her deep blue eyes. She reached under her bed to grab the black box full of pictures from ten years ago. She ccarefully went through them searching for her favorite picture of her father. Strength, love, and compassion were qualities of William’s that were shown in the picture Violet slowly picked up and held to her heart. She once again experienced the same feeling she did on the day she would never forget. Violet laid the picture on top of a small bead of glue right under the title of the page. As she put the finished paper into her folder, she quietly said to herself, “one day, I’ll be right above the clouds with you.”