Many of you have probably heard or read about the pilot who died in-flight. The story is here. The plane landed safely, and doctors think he died of a heart attack.
As I was reading I came across a sentence that broke me. The journalist included a statement from his wife, who was of course distraught: “The family lived in Texas, Ms. Lenell said. She said that her husband had called her from Brussels just the day before and told her that he was bringing her home some chocolate.” I found myself weeping. When death comes, those simple little gestures become so poignant. They are arrested mid-air, still filled with the expectation that life will be here tomorrow.
I'm glad that at least someone is thinking about the pilot who died. Seems like all the news has focused on has been the passengers and the co-pilots.
ReplyDeleteperhaps it's odd of me, but I often think of those moments in life. Maybe it's because of the work I do as a priest, where I live second-hand through the tragedies (and joys) of others - responding to the grief, the shock, the memories of those little gestures...what you say is so very true, moments arrested in mid-air, reflecting on life events that anticipated a tomorrow...
ReplyDeleteI was telling my daughter tonight about this event. I needed you to remind me of the pilot and his family. What a bittersweet memory those chocolates will someday be.
ReplyDelete