The Wonder of Flight

I love flying! Not the stress of packing or getting to the airport and through security on time, but the thrill of the runway, the takeoff, and soaring over this amazing earth we live on. I get excited when the plane starts off down the runway, the sound of the pavement connecting with the tires, the calm rumble you feel and hear. I imagine the pilots whispering with me, “Come on. You can do it. Here we go!” And then the lift off! The thrill of being off the ground as the tires lift away from the asphalt and the front of the aircraft tips up, it is truly awesome! Up, up, up we climb, and my heart climbs too as I once again experience the unequalled marvel of flying. It’s amazing to me that this vehicle is soaring through the air. I imagine the level of responsibility and the trust given to the unseen pilots. Do they realize how precious their cargo is? I’m not thinking just of myself, I’m thinking of every parent on board, every grandparent, sibling, son, daughter, and friend. Each passenger is irreplaceable. And for a few hours we are closer to heaven than we were just a few moments ago. I think of all this as I look out the window, wowed by what and how far I can see. It took us 45 minutes to drive to the airport, but it looks like a simple hop, skip, and jump from up here. The congestion of the city fades away as the marvel of neighborhoods, lakes, mountains, and oceans all come into view, and then fade away beneath the clouds that we easily rise above. We settle at 33,000 feet and enjoy the ride. Before we know it we will begin our decent. But for now we are soaring magnificently and majestically at a speed unmatched by my Toyota. What a gift to be able to travel so effortlessly and so quickly. And as if the time we save, compared to driving, were not incredible enough, just take a minute to marvel at the wonder and thrill of how and where it happened.