Less “Safe,” More Secure
Being in the air feels so strange and unnerving to me. So when I had the chance to go on an epic trip to Italy with Stella and my parents over her Spring Break, I had to face that fear. A little airplane anxiety is a terrible reason to turn down an amazing trip!
Over the course of the flights there and back again, I wrangled the feelings of fear over and again. I rehearsed in my mind the things my savvy traveling friends tell me, (including Brian’s insights as a formerly licensed private pilot!) - that airplanes just don’t crash. That turbulence is just “driving down a bumpy road” in the sky. (But then… that’s just another reminder of being IN THE SKY…)
As we traversed the last airborne segment connecting we weary travelers back to the comforts of home, I thought of how easy it is for me to trust in what makes me feel safe rather than what is actually safe.
The flight felt ok when there was no turbulence. But when we experienced turbulence, that didn’t make the flight less safe.
I have no issues with train travel because it feels comfortable to me. Known.
I trust what’s known because it feels safe, but that doesn’t mean it is.
I trust car travel because it feels safe to me. It’s not.
The feeling of safety is not the best indicator of what is safe, and the goal of safety is not the best goal for life. Comfort and “feeling safe” are two things that can easily shrink my life’s parameters into a boring little box. But that’s not where I want to live!
Now that we’re back, I can see it differently. Now I know what I’d have missed if I had allowed my fears and feelings to dictate my decision — and I want to go again! The reward was worth the risk. The confidence of facing fear brings greater security after all.
