A note to all you who make your living flying, or do not have to make your living in other ways than flying, or maybe you are retired and fly for fun. Value what you have, it is priceless to those who do not.
I was seated next to a gentleman tonight for dinner in Macau, China who was introduced to flight when he was 12 years old. Who immediately took to instrument flying and has an instinctual understanding of how the instruments not only describe the world around you while flying blind, but can help you navigate through it. I told him about recently gaining my instrument rating and he was so congratulatory about it. He, who doesn't have a PPL. He who has been dreaming of flight since he was 12 years old. He's 62 years old now. He's lucky. He has his health. He has the funds to do flight training starting this year. I wish him the very very best.
I guess I'm writing this to say to all current aviators, no matter what your particular vocation is.... please value what you have. Please stop for a moment and notice the joy of what you do. I can guarantee you, there are many vocations that do not and probably will never have the term "joy" attached to an activity. As you sit there in the pattern yet again, or dealing with a crappy captain on a regional jet or dealing with the unfriendly passengers as you fly your jet across the Atlantic or Pacific, look out the window, enjoy the view or the grey of the inside of a cloud. If not for yourself, do it for me and for people like me who want nothing more than to be there with you.... those who just want to fly.
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