February 26, 2004
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I got to sit in the co-pilot’s seat in a King Air twin engine flying hot rod yesterday. During my stint at the controls we were firmly parked in an out-of-the-way corner of the airport tarmac and never even started the engines, but this did little to dampen my excitement. My imagination could handle the remaining missing details. Later, a person at work would ask me if I went, “Vroooom Vroooom” and, well, yes I did. Wouldn’t you? With the owner sitting next to me I hesitantly reached for the control yolk looking for an approving nod which I received. The grips fit the hand nicely, the metal smooth and cool. The feeling of freedom and power came immediately; the image of freedom-of-movement coming from countless moments of observing the flight of birds, the birds looking sometimes busy and sometimes, obviously, playful. The sense of power coming from the two huge engines and propellers mounted on the wings, in full view, just outside the window. Crank up the engines and we’ll fly to…where? Anywhere! We have all this power and freedom…
Eventually, I came back to earth and we continued earlier conversations about the non-glamorous, expensive details of owning such a plane. The owner/pilot was a semi-retired, successful business man who had visited my work place for a couple of days. He and a partner had bought this used plane a couple of years ago. Initial purchase price wasn’t divulged, but I’m guessing around $2M. He ran through some operating expenses like mandatory engine overhauls at $100,000 a pop and annual insurance costs in the neighborhood of $30,000. The personal wealth of my guest was starting to emerge in my awareness like the sun overcomes the morning gray. This man and I had only spent a few hours together in a predominantly business mode over the past couple years, so our relationship would be called “casual acquaintance”, at best. In those brief encounters, he never came across, however, as a rich guy. (mental note number 2,3289, 453, “don’t make rash assumptions about people…ever”) Maybe he isn’t rich by today’s standards, but he has this plane. I make a decent living and I drove us to the little airport in my six year old mini-van that I am hoping will last another five. It would be an extravagance for me to pay one of the local pilots to take my kids for a joy ride in their Cessna. Owning a plane that could take the family for a weekend in the
As I drove back to work from the Airport, a 20 minute ride through the country side, I couldn’t help dwelling on the contrast between this man’s world and the world around me. I live in an area that has, for as long as I can remember, been deemed an economically depressed area. We are on the fringes of
I don’t believe there is a divine proclamation that would cast a shadow of wrongness over one person’s being able to float among the clouds while another is left to float upon the pond with his fishing pole; one person can own and fly a wondrous machine while another is relegated to sitting in the co-pilot seat and only dream. I do however believe that we can state as truth that it is wrong when one person can survive and another cannot, simply due to birth rite or innate ability. This is stating that the tenant of “survival of the fittest” stops at the threshold of humanity. Why can we state this as truth? Can truths such as these exist without a divine being? If so, what authority sanctions this truth? Does there have to be a God before we can apportion the same right to life to each person? Our constitution goes as far as stating that we not only have a right to life but also to liberty and the pursuit of happiness (private airplanes) From whence basic truths or beliefs such as these are derived is subject for an even larger debate.
{Vrroooom, Vrooooom, rrrrrmrmmm, sputter, sputter, cough cough, chugga chugga, vrrrooomm,
vrrrooooommm, rrrrrrrrmmmmm,.....}
Comments (3)
(I'm glad you got a little guy-thrill out of that jaunt. I confess that if you handed me $2M and the accompanying cost of upkeep, approximately the last thing I'd want to do with it is buy an airplane. But to each his own: he's a good man, he also does good things with his money, so good for him to delve a bit into indulgence!)
As to your next-to-last paragraph: I expect you meant "birth right," but "rite" also plays a big role here IMO. It is the rites of humanity, I think, that have oftentimes presumed to fly in the face of what is "meant" for them (and by "meant" we can talk God, or Earth Mother, or natural law, or whatever you wish). Rites and ritual and custom overpopulate Bangladesh, for example, to the extent that the populace spills into territory frequently innundated by flood. Because their society condones their parents' choices to overpopulate, by what right, or rite, do these hundreds of thousands die? On the flip side, you and I and our wealthy consultant live in the richest nation on earth, in conditions of wealth unimaginable virtually everywhere else (whether we're talking planes or elderly vans; each would be an equal richness in the eyes of millions). By what right, or rite, are we occasioned this generosity? Or more importantly, in my view: what responsibilities come with the ownership of such largesse?
I would say this has nothing to do with God. I would say if humanity doesn't get a clue about how to self-regulate, it will rightfully vanish from its current place of dominion on the planet.
I think in the end what matters will be
can "they" (either side)
look back and be satisfied with who they were.
Some people aren't happy no matter what...money? nope. the man/woman of their "dreams"? nope.
not that i wouldn't mind experimenting with all of that on a relatively regular basis, mind you.
and...seeing as how it was a plane, did you also make the required airplane buzzing noises? propeller noises and all.
At first glance, I was all set to quip a quick comment here asking something like, 'Soooo, has your waiting come to an end? Your epiphany realized?'
Then I read on and knew that would simply not do.
This is an age old question and one for which none of us has an answer, at least not an easy one. I have my opinions about where we get the inclinations toward right and wrong, but it won't allow for an absolute where this is concerned. We are taught to share at an early age in school, by parents and by peers when we try to get by with NOT sharing.
Still, it's difficult balancing your own hard work to gain 'things' with wanting to give it away to others who may seem to not be trying as hard as you to have things, so they are without. Then, the ones who are giving all possible and are still without... I wish I could fix it all. :-S
The thing I've been told by well-meaning folk is this, 'if it weren't for the rain, we'd not appreciate the sunny days as much'. I have a hard time with that one when it relates to issues like this, but... it is what it is I guess. ...and at the risk of sounding calloused... I might as well admit, I'm glad I'm somewhere in the middle ground of this rather than at either extreme end. I've had 'enough' most all of my life but never much excess (actually no excess). maybe never will?? But it's ok. Like Faith said, with what we have comes responsibility, I believe, whether meager or generous amounts are in our possession we should feel an accountablity to less fortunate (and there are always those less fortuante) than we are and act accordingly.
ugh, I hate when I blog instead of comment.. sorry. But this one just drew it out of me.
good words...
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