In All Things Be Thankful
“In all things be thankful”. This time of year it is well to remember just what thankful means. Thankful is rarely used anymore and that is truly a shame. It is a good word. It is expressive of sincere gratitude or appreciative of a benefit. Too often we are led to obsess over things we see as wanting or unfair while ignoring those things that we should be absolutely grateful for. I would bet that the list of things to be grateful for easily surpasses those irritating pratfalls of life that we all too often build into a mountain of angst. Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time when we pause for one day and reflect on just how fortunate we are and to be in a word: “thankful”. The word thankful is often used in the same context as being blessed, and I for one fall into that category, and I would bet a majority of my flying comrades do too. Where on earth can people take to the skies in an airplane on a whim without permission of the government, or better yet, an airplane made from scratch with their own two hands? Is this a great country or what? Where else can a guy like me fly such a machine out of his own front yard? Oh sure, we gripe about costs such as fuel, insurance, maintenance, and hangar rent, but it is ‘our’ call to make, and moreover, we fly because we want to and where else on planet earth are people free to do so. If you didn’t already know, the freedom of flight is hard-coded into the Bill of Rights, listed as a part of “The pursuit of Happiness” edict. Thus flying makes me a happy fellow, so thanks Adams, Jefferson, Madison and the rest, for making it easier for me to be happy. I am also thankful for the perseverance of the Wright Brothers that allowed me to be born into an age of unfettered air travel. If they had given up and returned to bikes, I’d probably be mowing 12 acres of grass for nothing. Hey, I know it’s hard to swallow, but at times I’m even a wee bit thankful for the FAA. As much as they don’t seem to want to help, they do – when lovingly prodded that is. Witness the Light Sport license. Most governments are so stringent in issuing flying licenses that even Sean Tucker would have a rough go at it. Here in the Land of the Free, a valid driver license will now do the trick. I’m thankful for that. Believe it or not, I’m also thankful for the weather. Almost nowhere else on the planet can you experience literally every facet of flight. Float flying your bag; we got a million pristine lakes. Like to see magnificent mountains from the air; no problem, we got scads of them. Ever want to fly on skis; welcome to a winter wonderland. Want to operate a year-round flight school with perfect flying weather; say hello to the desert. Cap it off with our very own private spaceport, and as you can see this place we call home is pretty special. Most of all I am thankful for the friends I have met while flying; all kinds of people from everywhere, sharing a common tie that bonds us like super glue. We all love flying and flying people. If it wasn’t for the people I have met while flying planes I truly believe that I would not be the same person. No, I mean it. I believe outside of family, your friends and acquaintances shape us into the kind of people we become. Hang out with a dour bunch of naysayers griping about how bad they feel or how miserable things are, and see what I mean. Flying folk are upbeat, eccentric, downright weird, and often times funnier than a Mennonite break dancing. Heck, without them I could never write a story. And while I’m at it, a special thanks to editors for affording me the opportunity to share them with you. But most of all, I am thankful to a Gracious Creator that one day decided He was in a particularly humorous mood, saying: “You know what? Today I’m going to make a flying Joker”, and here I am.
By Steve Bill Hanshew