Have you watched helicopters gliding effortlessly through the sky, their blades slicing through the air like a chef’s knife through butter. They hover, they soar, they dip gracefully—poetry in motion! From my comfortable perch on my terrace garden, I used to sigh with envy, thinking, “What a marvelous experience it must be to fly like that!”

Then one day, when a flight of mine got delayed I met a man at the airport who worked on offshore oil rigs, and as we chatted about his job, I remarked, “Oh, you must love flying in those helicopters every day.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Love it? Have you ever sat inside one? They’re cramped, noisy, and shake like a rickety bus on a pothole-ridden road. Try flying through a monsoon, when the wind tosses you around like a child’s toy, and you’ll think twice about calling it a dream.”

That’s when it struck me—how often we admire something from afar without considering the reality behind it. The same way I viewed helicopters, people view professions that appear glamorous.

“Oh, a writer! What a lovely life! Just sitting under a tree, sipping coffee, and letting inspiration flow!”

“Oh, an actor! How thrilling! The lights, the fame, the glory!”

“Oh, a businessman! So much money, power, and respect!”

But behind the glamour is the grind. The writer, sweating over every word, battling deadlines, rejection, and self-doubt. The actor, enduring endless auditions, harsh criticism, and the fear of fading into obscurity. The businessman, navigating risks, managing crises, and constantly innovating to stay afloat.

It’s easy to admire the flight but ignore the turbulence.

I once knew a writer who was the life of every party, always cracking jokes, always brimming with wit. People adored him, admired him, and assumed he had the easiest job in the world. “You must have the best time, just writing whatever comes to your mind,” they would say. What they never saw were the long, lonely nights spent staring at a blank page, the self-doubt gnawing at his confidence, the constant battle between inspiration and discipline.

The same goes for actors. For every one that makes it big, hundreds struggle in obscurity, juggling side jobs, facing rejection, and living on the edge of uncertainty. And business? Oh, the stress of keeping everything afloat, making the right decisions, and surviving in a cutthroat world—no one sees that side of success.

A helicopter might look majestic from the ground, but inside, the ride is anything but smooth. It takes resilience to keep going, skill to stay in control, and the courage to face the storms.

So, before you envy someone’s flight, ask yourself: are you ready for the ride?

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