Last night I attended the 2019 Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic. It is an anually held event at Ann Morrison Park here in Boise, Idaho and it is free to attend. The event runs for 5 days, with most mornings featuring the launch of dozens of hot air balloons, and on this Friday night, the lighting up of the balloons in the Boise night sky with wonderful live music 
provided by the band Pilot Error. The announcers voices blast over the crowd with words of encouragement and faith. I tried to write down the things they said, but I can only paraphrase, “Balloons give us a commonality and a beauty in a craft. Look around you, and look how fortunate we all are, being here together. This is a magical time on a soft summer night. I hope you are all aware of the blessings we have to be thankful for. We gather together with friends and family and neighbors to watch the balloons.”
To this, I add my own contribution, that up there, you are a powerful symbol lighting up the night to illuminate the way, fearlessly riding the winds ebb and flow, silently gliding along the deep blue sky, excited to be anywhere. If we could be as brave and curious as these majestic beacons of freedom and wonder, what couldn’t we achieve? Like the captains of these glowing balloons, we too have an opportunity to steer ourselves into goodness and compassion, which is the brightest way to illuminate any pathway. These wonderful orbs and their pilots and their crews; and all of the smiling faces, have come to celebrate life and summer and each other. As we move into the coming weeks, I will reflect on this experience and fortune, but I will always keep in mind what my work supervisor Genevieve’s paraphrase of Plato says ,”be patient, be kind, everyone is fighting a hard battle.”
Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic
Photo gallery follows. all photos by Terry Welch, terrancewelch.com
