The crowd sprang to their feet and  cheered with joy.  The montgolfière balloon was making its ascent toward the clouds.

Jack and Joey looked at each other and smiled.  Their creation, their dream, their best of inventions, was indeed… flying with the birds.   The first ever hot air balloon.

A lifelong dream was coming true.

Joey bent down and picked up a small stone from the ground beneath him.   He placed it carefully in a small satchel in his pocket.  Joey would never forget this day.  Ever.

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I do this too.  Pick up a rock… when I am somewhere having a special day, or some event which is significant.  And then I keep that little stone.    It rocks.  And then I remember.

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“Wind to thy wings. Light to thy path. Dreams to thy heart.” – Unknown

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“Joseph-Michel Montgolfier (26 August 1740 – 26 June 1810) and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier (6 January 1745 – 2 August 1799) were the inventors of the montgolfière-style hot air balloon, globe aérostatique. The brothers succeeded in launching the first manned ascent, carrying Étienne into the sky. Later, in December 1783, in recognition of their achievement, their father Pierre was elevated to the nobility and the hereditary appellation of de Montgolfier by King Louis XVI of France.”  (Wikipedia)