Learning to Fly
Pink Floyd Lyrics

Into the distance a ribbon of black
The darkness lies ahead, and there's no turning back from the path ahead.

Stretched to the point of no turning back
The path ahead is unavoidable, and the traveler must face whatever challenges that lie in front of them.

A flight of fancy on a windswept field
An imaginative idea in the midst of freedom and openness, with the potential to take flight and soar.

Standing alone my senses reeled
The traveler is on his own and overwhelmed by the presence of freedom and challenge.

A fatal attraction is holding me fast how
An irresistible force is attracting and holding the traveler down while he battles to break free.

How can I escape this irresistible grasp?
The traveler is desperate to find a way to break free of the force holding him down and realize his potential.

Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
The traveler is constantly drawn to the freedom and potential of the endless sky above him.

Tongue tied and twisted just an earth bound misfit, I
The traveler is apprehensive and lost on the ground, unable to fully express himself and rise to the occasion.

Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
The traveler is experiencing significant problems and setbacks on his journey, which threaten to bring him crashing back down to earth.

Unheeded warnings I thought of everything
Despite his best efforts, the traveler is encountering unexpected difficulties and is not fully prepared to deal with them.

No navigator to find my way home
The traveler is completely on his own, without any help or guidance in navigating the difficult terrain ahead.

Unladen, empty and turned to stone
The traveler is depleted and feeling heavy and stuck, unable to move or progress further.

A soul in tension that's learning to fly
The traveler is experiencing inner turmoil and conflict as he tries to break free and rise to new heights.

Condition grounded but determined to try
Although the traveler is currently stuck, he is driven to keep trying and remain optimistic in the face of adversity.

Friction lock, set
The traveler is making mechanical preparations for his next attempt to break free and fly.

Mixtures, rich
The traveler is adjusting the fuel mixture to ensure the best possible performance.

Propellers, fully forward
The traveler is preparing the equipment for maximum power and speed.

Flaps, set, ten degrees
The traveler is adjusting the flaps to the correct angle for optimal lift and speed.

Engine gauges and suction, check
The traveler is carefully monitoring all the mechanical aspects of his aircraft to make sure everything is working properly.

Mixture set to maximum percent, recheck
The traveler is double-checking his fuel mixture to make sure it is optimized and won't cause any problems.

Flight instruments
The traveler is reviewing all his flight instruments to ensure they are working properly and providing accurate data.

Altimeters, check both
The traveler is double-checking his altitude readings to ensure he is at the proper height.

Navigation lights, on
The traveler is turning on his navigation lights for safety and visibility purposes.

Strobes, on
The traveler is turning on his strobe lights to improve his visibility to others around him.

Confirm three-eight-echo ready for departure
The traveler is notifying others that he is ready to take off and begin his journey forward.

Hello again, this is now 129.4
The traveler is communicating with air traffic control as he prepares to take off and begin his ascent.

129.4, it's to go
Air traffic control is acknowledging the traveler and giving him clearance to take off and begin his ascent.

You may commence your takeoff, winds over ten knots
Air traffic control is giving the traveler permission to take off despite the challenging conditions he may face.

Easy on the brakes, take it easy, its gonna roll this time
Others are encouraging the traveler to be cautious but confident as he begins his journey and experiences upward momentum for the first time.

Above the planet on a wing and a prayer,
As the traveler ascends, he feels a sense of uncertainty, but also a sense of hope and faith that he can make it through.

My grubby halo, a vapor trail in the empty air
As he rises, the traveler leaves behind a trail of his journey so far, which is at once unclean and yet ethereal and full of wonder.

Across the clouds I see my shadow fly
As he ascends, the traveler sees his own shadow floating along ahead of him, which symbolizes his own growing sense of power and potential.

Out of the corner of my watering eye
As he rises, the traveler is feeling emotional and overwhelmed, and his eyes begin to water in response.

A dream unthreatened by the morning light
The traveler feels that his newfound sense of optimism and hope is secure, even as the world around him prepares to wake up and go about its day.

Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night
The traveler feels that his sense of power and potential is so great that it could carry him through anything, even the darkest and most difficult times.

There's no sensation to compare with this
The traveler feels that this moment of flight and potential is unlike anything he has ever experienced before, and cannot be compared to anything else in his life.

Suspended animation, a state of bliss
The traveler feels like he is in a different world, a state of mind and being that is serene and full of wonder and hope.

Can't keep my mind from the circling skies
Even as he soars higher and higher, the traveler cannot escape the beauty and potential of the endless sky around him.

Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I
Despite his growing sense of power and potential, the traveler still feels awkward and unsuited to the world below, a stranger in his own land.