Flight 175
Graham Andrew Berkeley, 37, Boston, MA
I saw this thing on the television once, where if you sent in a certain amount of money and pledged your undying love, everything would be fine for you, always. What it was exactly slips my mind, but I had a hard time believing that they believed it. But people did. I think in their minds they didn’t, but their hearts so wanted that security and promise that they let themselves be drawn into it. I felt badly for them, and of course there were those who just thought it all baloney and said, “How can you, in your right mind, believe such malarkey? No one can promise you anything!”
True, of course. And do we just want to believe the fairy tales? You go through the dark and dangerous woods and face down the wolf, or the witch, or the whatever is chasing you in this story, and then are saved at the last moment by the cavalry, or the prince who just happened by, and then everything is fine. And you live happily ever after. Well…
We know in our minds that it doesn’t work that way, but we are always looking for that promise, that guarantee that making it through the tough times means that we will be rescued and never again want for anything. Or even just “doing the right things” in any situation will bring you what you’re out for: money, love, a great home, perfect children, luck.
Ironically, while we don’t want to be sucked (suckered?) into believing it (or, more importantly, be caught believing it), it is our faith in these outcomes that actually brings them to us. Not always in the way we’d want them, but in the way that is best for us, and in retrospect we see how it worked out that way… most of the time.
I can see in this situation, how people will never believe that it was in anyone’s best interest for this to happen. I can’t explain it myself in a way that is understandable. There is still great grief on Earth. We can see it from here. But we are OK. We are taking care of each other. Some still need more caring for than others, as it takes everyone different amounts of time and care to heal from this transition. Some came out of it with their faith and souls shaken and rattled by the events and the sudden loss of their lives. Some were angry that someone else chose their last day for them, and they never got to say goodbye. But the healing here is very strong and loving. We see each other every day and are of caring and love to each other. Sometimes it is hard to face what we’ve been through, even here.
But when you do, you see the light of day and feel the warmth and love around you, and are more aware of the path you’ve been on. You are detached enough to look at it as though it were someone else’s life and see how everything fit together, and continues to fit together.
You see, there is a fairy-tale ending, but it’s after the trudge through the woods, fighting off the witches and the trolls and the wolves you encounter in your life, and most importantly, fending off the fear that leads you to feel like things will never get better. It’s that faith in the promise at the end that gets you there, where you can see that you do, in fact, live happily ever after.
