You just never know.....

I was over at Sue's this morning, and she's got a post over there called 'When your time is up' that brings us once again to the realization that this thing we call 'life,' be you happy with it, or not so much, is nothing if not fragile and fleeting.

If you want to read her version of it, head on over there. Mine follows.

Some years ago there was a charter flight out of Reno. It was a smaller plane, a Lockheed L-188 Electra. The Reno airport, given it's proximity to the mountains, is unique in that planes have to circle the city once to gain altitude so that they can get over the mountains.

Well, our ill-fated Lockheed must have been in the process when something bad happened. If you can't tell from the tone of this post, there was an accident. A terrible, senseless accident. I was suprised to find a Wikipedia entry on it, but the most telling sentence for me is this: The lone survivor was then 17-year old George Lamson Jr., who was thrown clear of the aircraft and landed upright, still in his seat, on South Virginia Street.

Can you imagine that?

Your plane just crashed, there's (i imagine) debris, fire, and death all around you, and you're just sitting there, still buckled into your seat.

That's the kind of thing that gives you religion.

(edit)

I had planned to leave it at that, but a google search of the survivors name brought this result, and another, even more poignant quote: "Friends," he urged, "Life is fragile. Enjoy each other while you can.".


Now, this next bit of evidence is allegorical, and I have no personal knowledge of it's truth, but it was a story that my Sociology teacher told in class one day. A friend of his (may have been his best friend i dont remember) was playing basketball in college. He went up for a layup, came down behind the backboard and out of bounds, bashing his shin on a bleacher bench in the process.

Somehow, the blow to his shin either created or dislodged a blood clot that headed straight for his heart.

He died 20 minutes later.

Two vastly different situations with one common thread: When it's your time to go, it's your time to go, and when it's not, it's not.

---

Ok, let's lighten things up a bit. I know that was a bit heavy, but I didn't start it. So, have I told you that I'm going to Oregon?

Like tomorrow?

Yeah, my older sis's boy (think its her stepson) is graduating this weekend, and we're (pops michael and i) are heading up for the event. There is also going to be a barbeque, and I imagine some drinking of beer.

Well, there will be drinking for me at least.

I guess that's all for now.

Buenos con queso,

T