Note: I wrote this article over a month ago after the horrific crash between a US Army helicopter and an American Airlines jet on arrival to National Airport. I held off publishing it out of respect for those who lost loved ones on that flight. My heart and prayers are still with them.
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About a month ago, I was preparing to fly to Ohio for a few days. It was probably one of the easiest trips to pack for as I had pretty much everything I needed already in Cleveland. All I had to do was relish the fact that I wasn’t taking a six-to-seven-hour drive and regret the final ninety-minute grind. All seemed well until I woke up the next morning.
I woke up the morning on the day of the flight and had an odd sensation. Would God really wake me up this morning to put me in a plane that was going to crash? I actually thought there was a sense of cruelty to that. Why not let me pass away quietly in my sleep? I’m used to flying and like the feeling of being 30,000 feet in calm, clear air and feeling all my troubles and concerns are down there somewhere but not up there. Then I snapped back into the real world and thought, “that’s a crazy thought!”
So, I arrived at the airport for my 8:55 pm flight out of BWI to a nearly empty airport. As I walked to security, I realized that I was going to be the only person in line. I can’t ever remember that happening. Prior to boarding the Southwest flight, the gate agent informed everybody that it was a very empty flight and there was no reason for any middle seat to be occupied. The gate attendant jokingly stated that “If anyone tries to sit beside you tell them to please move.” Southwest has a habit of injecting humor into their flights. Some do it better than others.
Forty-five minutes into my hour-long flight and feeling pretty good about the empty airport and spaced-out seating, I did what I typically do when I see a good picture – I pulled out my camera and took pictures. This has been a habit of mine for long time. It’s evolved from a 35mm camera in my carry-on to an I-Phone. All was right until I landed and informed my family, only to be told “you must have gotten out of the airport before things got crazy.” That was later followed up with news that a plane had crashed outside of National Airport. It was then that I felt a bit of a chill as my thoughts of the morning came back to me. I thought about all of the people, like me, who were so close to their destination and the anticipation of arriving at the gate, departing the plane, and going along with the rest of the usual airport experience. But it didn’t happen for them. My heart sank, and I oddly wondered if any of them had had a similar question for God like I did that morning.
On my return flight I was hesitant at first, then, undeterred, I pulled out my phone and started taking pictures. However, unlike previous flights, my final shot is of the landing. I’ve always taken those last few minutes for granted. I’m also prone to say that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Now I know that the next few minutes aren’t guaranteed.
My heart goes out to all of the families that lost a loved one on American Airline flight 5432. I thought long and hard about posting the images, but like so many of us, I know I will be flying again. God, watch over those families and bring them the calm and peace that being above the clouds can sometimes bring. These pictures are for them.
