Sunday, November 07, 2010

Soft Landings

"They weren't interested in learning how to land." Remember that tidbit, from the news coverage of the guys who flew planes into the Twin Towers?

"Overheated economy". "Market correction". The second is what inevitably happens-- as surely as a rock thrown up in the air will gradually lose speed, slow to a stop in mid-air, then come down, accelerating as it comes-- in the wake of the first. "Normal people" (read: the vast majority of human beings who don't have large reserves of money or "stuff" at their personal disposal) dread these "corrections".

Significant transitions, major changes to our surroundings, are as much a part of being alive, as is breathing air. Summer vacation -> fall semester. Unpleasantly hot temperatures -> pleasant temperatures -> unpleasantly cold temperatures. Married couple -> married couple with a child. Pastor John Doe -> no pastor -> interim pastor. Working at a job making $100K / year -> looking for a job making $100K / year. Having two perfectly good ankles and playing an intense soccer game every week -> not being able to put any weight whatsoever on your right leg, and working every day in bed with your laptop, for six solid weeks. Working every day in bed with your laptop -> gradually recovering use of your right leg with about 4 hours of physical therapy a week. And so on, and so on.

Making it even more interesting is that some people are hardwired to seek transition, while others avoid transition fiercely. Beginning a transition *together*, and arriving safely on the other side-- well, that's great stuff.

So anyway... it's possible that I've had a soft landing.