Well, not literally… I didn’t get my normal window seat, but at least I am not scrunched in-between a couple of people and all their stuff. 767’s are good for that.
I’ve been thinking about the recent events, and love the preponderance of blogs, comments, posts, etc. about the action against bin Laden… to a point. Something in me started going real deep, and I found myself asking how I felt about the whole thing. How I continue to feel… I gotta tell you, it’s pretty weird to me. I do applaud the efforts of the military in completing the mission (you will notice through this that I am going to refrain from standard commentary, for a purpose). There is something to be said when those who claim resposibility for bad things are brought to justice. Again, applaud. However, as I sit here, literally at 35000 ft, watching my plane monitor tell me that the temperature outside the plane is a balmy -72 degrees (yes, that is minus 72…), I’m almost forced to look at the world, my world a little differently. So, I ask myself… how do I really feel? Here, then is a download of some of my real feelings, in no particular order:
– I hate the fact that we were even put in this situation. That there would be such an ability and willingness for a person/people to destroy the lives of others that we are forced to have to take such an action.
– I hate that we as people in this world spend more time figuring out how to divide and destroy, rather than how to unite and build.
– I detest the ease at which we can find money to build new jails, and in the same year fire teachers for lack of funds
– I remember my first job, working in an amusement park. I had the wonderful task of working in the picnic area, where corporations and organizations would celebrate anything and everything over food, drink, and general fun. My colleagues and I spent the day cooking tons of hot dogs, hamburgers, fried chicken, corn on the cob and other such things, and always without fail, at the end of the day, there was food left over. We’re not talking about a couple plates – garbage cans full of food. On once such occasion, I filled up a 50 gallon garbage can full of perfectly good, freshly cooked corn on the cob, and was ordered to take it to, not the soup kitchen, or the rescue mission.., to the garbage! Outraged? Absolutely. People are starving, not only around the world, but in our backyard, and we would rather let them die than get involved and provide out of our surplus
I listened to President Obama’s speech, and was captured with the enormous task he was faced with. He could have made it about his presidency, about answering those who questioned his ability, etc. I admire the fact that he took time to honor the victims and families of 9/11 as well as the Muslim community. The other thing that I so appreciated about that night, and continue to do so, were all the posts and tweets thanking our military for risking their lives constantly for this operation, and every other time they put themselves in harms way, so we can be free to live and love and argue and fight and make up again. I wish they never had to do it. I hope that my son who is enlisted never has to see war, but if he does, I applaud him for what he is giving to not only me, but to his generation and every generation after him.
I’m sure there will continue to be news reports in the days to come about the minutia of the operation (they have already figured out who sent the first tweet in Pakistan when the helicopters came in… really?), but I’m pulling out of it. Not that it’s not momentous or important, and not because I am trying to be different, but because I think there is a more appropriate response now that it is done.
In the middle of my flight, I sit here glancing over people to peek out the windows every now and then. It looks peaceful. Beautiful. Majestic, if you will. Our world is vast, and colorful, complete with plains and mountains, rivers and deserts. Things and people that look, feel and sound different, but together produce a harmony, a collage, a masterpiece that appears so wonderful, at 35000 ft. To me, I take it as a sign. What can we do – I do – to help bring harmony to our world? To bring understanding where there are differences? To love, when the world wants to hate? I don’t have the answers… or do I? My eyes are open to the possibility, and I am willing. Maybe that’s the start.
What does the view look like for you? I’d love to look at it with you, to see the beauty you see, to experience the wonder of the world through your 35000 ft view.
one example of bringing harmony to our world is J’s Love Project. If you haven’t taken the challenge, now is a great time to start. You can click the banner to the right to learn more 🙂