From: Nancy Warren
Columbus
Each of us brings to the world an unique endowment of ability, and when we combine it with the learning gained from our life experiences, we have a priceless gift to offer to others and to a shared interest.
This was very apparent in the organization called the United Flying Octogenarians. Every member had experienced 80 or more years of life; every member had earned his or her place in aviation history.
Some arrived at the "gate" with credentials of outstanding bravery in military conflicts; some have demonstrated creative genius with their contributions to the dynamic world of aviation. Others are there because they mastered the art of flying aircraft and found a small niche in the aviation world that recognized that they, too, contribute significantly with their passion for flight and their love for all that it involves.
Love is seldom a tangible quality — like a military record or an aircraft design — but there are those who recognize and value it for what it is and, most importantly, for what it brings to an organization of human beings. Like flying, love lifts us up and broadens our view and appreciation for the world in which we move and have our being, and for those with whom we share it.
If we choose to place a higher value on the things we have done or achieved, rather than who we are and how we affect and impact other human beings, then we are overlooking the most important aspect of our presence in this world: love, kindness, and respect for others.
No matter what we have done or accomplished in life, it all becomes hollow and bleak without those elements.
