March 8, 2016 Birthday Flight

The Liberty Gazette

March 8, 2016

Ely Air Lines
by Guest writers, Virginia Ford and Barbara Lyons

Virginia: Has a squirrel ever appeared at your door for a handout? Or a butterfly landed on your hat? How about a daughter and her husband landing their plane at your local airport after flying hundreds of miles, just to surprise you on your 83rd birthday? Do you laugh with joy? Or cry with joy? I did both.

Promising not to fly upside down, my favorite pilot-daughter offered a birthday flight over a couple of Indiana counties. So, two daughters and I boarded the plane to soar into the wild blue yonder.

What a beautiful day! Linda was piloting and Barbara and I were the excited passengers. Linda proposed that we follow I-465, the loop around Indianapolis. Afterward, we did a few passes over Barbara's house in the country. It was a wonderful view and fun to tell friends afterward that I went around I-465 at 130 mph ...when they gasped, I added, "at thirty-eight hundred feet!"

The day was perfect for our high adventure and when we returned, the landing was also absolutely perfect (of course). I had to wonder if Linda's late father was looking down and enjoying her prowess. His passions were flying and racing. Hmmmm...history repeats itself, doesn't it?

Barbara: Over the four days of birthday celebration we ate at some great restaurants. Then in the evenings we gathered around the table at our country house with a warm cup of coffee on cold Indiana nights and had fun conversation, laughed a lot, remembered a lot, and enjoyed ice-cream cake.

Then all too quickly it was time to get as many good-bye hugs and "I love you's" in as we could while at the little local airport, packing bags into the plane, checking weather conditions, taking family pictures, talking about future visits.

Virginia: This was my birthday blessing, and the time with two daughters, two sons-in-law, and a granddaughter, which ensued was more than memorable. Oh, I know you've heard folks moan and groan about growing old. But this provided an opportunity for me to experience the benefits of a long life.

A life in which there is more time to appreciate the overwhelming beauty of the earth with its seasons and surprises; time to respect a world which seems to be capable of continuing its trips around the sun no matter what we do; more chances to make choices and to learn from them; more laughter; more opportunities to say, "I love you".

The Creator gives the gift of life for a reason, so it is up to me to continue to learn more, give more, grow in understanding, forgive more, laugh more, and love more. This is how I thank a generous God, at any age.

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