Article October 23, 2006 Issue

PRAYER CALMS MIDAIR TURBULENCE

BY MARTA GREENWOOD

FOR THOSE OF US who travel by airplane, increased security measures, the threat of terrorism, mechanical difficulties, and weather all provide reasons to pray. Sometimes when I fly at night, I look out at the sky, littered with stars, and pray. These days, I'm always praying for safety—not just for myself or the flight, but for everybody and our world.

Some weeks ago, however, on a flight to San Francisco, I was pushed to very intensive prayer. We had just finished lunch. The flight attendants were clearing the trays away, when we suddenly hit horrendous turbulence. Even though I've flown many thousands of miles, I'd never experienced anything like it before. The trays began to fall off the lunch cart and into the aisles. Those of us close by tried to steady the cart, which was rocking violently from side to side. The captain came on the sound system and asked the flight attendants to take their seats and strap themselves in.

And then it struck me: I was trying all the practical human ways to help the flight attendants while I was safely strapped in my seat, but it hadn't crossed my mind to turn to prayer. Now the penny dropped—Pray, Marta, pray!

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