Let me share if I might a great day yesterday. It didn't involve one thing about flying or aviation - it was just a great day. After sleeping in, I got up and had a great breakfast of cheerios. I went outside and although it was raining I thought about how beautiful all the green things around me were and felt lucky to be part of it. I built three new shelves in my garage so I could find my tape measures when I need them. I then went in and had an ice cold Coke and maybe a pretel or two. I took my grandaughter on my polaris ATV in the rain to see some horses and cows and even saw a couple rabbits along the way. We both got soaked but I was grateful for the time I got to spend with her. After warming up and a warm shower, we then went to a museum at the local college and learned about wolves, armadillos and other interesting animals. After that we went and visited a good friend who is a train engineer in the train yard. He let me and my two grandkids into the train engine and actually let my five year old grandson drive the train down the tracks a little. It was so cool. After that we had dinner overlooking the river and fed some ducks and then went to see Disney's new release "Cars" which is adorable. I then came home and put two very tired and worn out grandkids to bed and one tired calcapt wasn't far behind.
All right calcapt, what is your point here? Here it is: Life is not about who flies the fastest jet or whose airplane weighs more at takeoff. Not who flies for Airline A, B, passenger, cargo, corporate, military or a ramp agent. Life is about making today better than yesterday. We are all in some stage of struggle and so why do some of us choose to make someone else's day more difficult to compensate for our miseries or failings? It was rainy yesterday and I could of easily bitched about the miserable weather and stayed home all day and watched whatever was on television. I chose not to do that as I was determined to salvage the day and It turned out to be a magical day. Not because of me, but because I made my mind up early that it was going to be a great day. Remember the mind over matter thing? I think many of us have so much, yet choose to see the negative in life. Building one's own self worth never works by tearing down others. Next time you are at the airport, tell the guy out polishing his old 172 what a nice plane he has, and ask him about how he got started flying. Don't feel the need to tell him you are a big time airline pilot or fly airplanes ten times the size of his. Make this his day not yours, and it will amaze you how much better you will feel. Nobody on this forum has to compete to be accepted. We all love airplanes and the feeling we get talking and being around them. But I am here to tell you that airplanes are not who we are. We are about smiling when it rains and laughing when we have every right to cry. I challenge you all to take a walk in the rain and have a Coke for breakfast. Go pet a horse and see a Disney movie with a young friend. Go learn about coyotes and compliment a guy buffing floors that those are the shiniest floors you have ever seen. That's what life is friends - nothing more. Please thoughtfully consider your posts here and keep in mind we are all here to take steps forward not backward. Sorry for the lecture, just thought some of us needed to think a little more before we post and I include myself in this group.