Off We Go, Into the Wild Blue Yonder!

As the plane taxied down the runway, the anxiety within me heightened. Behind me sat 28 middle schoolers, many who had never flown before. I wasn't sure what I would do if one of them started freaking out. The engines screamed as we began to lift into the air. As we zoomed toward the clouds  I glanced behind me to be sure everything was under control. That's when I noticed it. The sweet, child-like faith of the students.

They were scared, and they were freaking out, only not in the screaming, hysterical way I had imagined. Instead they had linked arms with the person beside them. Some had even stretched across the aisle to hold hands. No one made fun of those who were scared,  but instead they offered words of encouragement to one another.

Soon we broke through the clouds and into the great beyond. The pilot came on and asked everyone to remain seated and buckled because storms were raging below us. It's odd to think it can be wildly storming under the clouds, but perfectly sunny above them.

We would be wise to apply the lessons of flying to our lives.  We live in a world full of things that scare us. Sometimes it seems the whole world has gone nuts. Tragedies surround us, people are outraged,  and cruelty commonly flies out of people's mouths. What if, instead of joining in the chaos, we just fasten our seat belts,  hold hands with one another,  and reassure those we love everything is going to turn out alright. Today I challenge you. Don't be one who freaks out and participates in the violent storms. Instead be an umbrella for others and show them the sunlight just beyond the clouds.