The minute I heard about it I almost didn’t go.
Ron had just returned in July from Honduras, and was telling me about the landing at Tegucigalpa airport in the capital of Honduras. He talked of the pilots doing a high five/congratulations after they landed, because evidently this airport requires special training for landing giving the short runway and surrounding mountains that make it tough to land just right.
Now I fly a whole lot and love it. But I’m also a weakling when it comes to turbulence, roller coasters, and anything scary that occurs thousands of feet in the air.
So when Ron described Honduras landings, I smiled and secretly decided, “I’m never going to Tegucigalpa.”
Then in September he asked me….asked if I’d go with him for just a few days of ministry in November. Oh no, I don’t dare confess to him my fear of the landing. I mean c’mon, I’m a frequent flier, Platinum status on American Airlines, I am surely not scared of a few seconds of a landing? Haven’t heard of anyone crashing there lately. But I was, and yet I did…did tell him, and then decided to go.
So on the flight Saturday morning, as we’re getting close to the landing, I wanted to look out the window and watch (I always take windows, he loves aisle seats) but instead we traded so I’d be further from the view. Even the flight attendants were discussing the landings at this airport. Oh great, here we go.
And then before I knew it we were on the ground. WHAAT??? THAT was it? I mean seriously? I never even noticed it. And for this I was scared for weeks upon every thought of it? Crazy! Turns out we landed a different direction this time, the “easier” direction in between all the mountains (thank you Jesus, you did this for me!)
Our hosts talked later about their own scary landings, how pilots would try three times and not make it and end up landing at a different airport. Oh my, the stories we’ve heard before and since.
Lesson learned for the 50th time…we so often psyche ourselves out about something that is no big deal, probably won’t happen, and is certainly not worth the wasted emotions and discussions over what might possibly be.
So no fear, no need, no kidding. Be strong and courageous today. Your landing is gonna be fine.
Here we come
Gripping on for dear life
