I read an old news report recently in the
Internet files of the Los Angeles Times, covering an event that took
place in July of 1982. A 33-year-old single truck driver named Larry
Walters was arrested for an unusual flight he took over the city. It
seems that Larry had always dreamed of flying and had even joined
the Air Force to pursue his dream. However, his eyesight
disqualified him.
Years later, at 33, he again pursued his dream
in an unorthodox fashion. He purchased 45 large helium weather
balloons from the Army/Navy store, tied them to an aluminum lawn
chair, strapped on a parachute, took a CB Radio, some food and
drink, and took a pellet gun to pop some balloons so he could come
down. Some friends then cut the tether holding the chair to his car
bumper and watched Larry fly!
Larry thought he would float just above his
neighborhood. He was shocked however when his over-inflated lawn
chair shot up to 16,000 feet into the approach course to the Los
Angeles International Airport! Both Delta and TWA pilots sighted him
as they came out of the clouds, sitting there in his lawn chair! Can
you imagine those flight crews trying to explain a flying lawn chair
to the Airport Radar Controllers?
Larry drifted out over the ocean and then back
over land and finally popped out a few balloons so he could
descend. Just as he was landing, the tether lines got caught on the
high voltage lines near Long Beach, CA., sending the city into a
20-minute blackout!
As Larry was arrested, a reporter asked him,
“Why do you do it?” He said a profound thing. He said, “A man can’t
just sit there!”
Truth be known, there are untold numbers of
people (including some of you) who are just sitting there;
not pursuing the God-given dreams inside of them. Many are trapped
inside walls that they built themselves. Maybe you are one of
them. I remember a Peanuts cartoon where Charlie Brown was
practicing archery. But, when every arrow missed the target, he
would just draw bull's-eye circles around that arrow. Lucy told him
that was not the way to do archery practice. Charlie said, “I
know, but it’s the only way I can hit the target!”
Sadly, too many retired folks are just drawing
circles around their life and calling it their target. Many will
complain that they can’t get out of the circles (the routine) that
they created for themselves. They insist on blaming others…spouses,
family, friends, etc. If you fall into this category, you need to
remember that dream-pursuing begins with deciding to stop
drawing circles around your life. Once you stop blaming your age for
your lethargic approach to life, the first step you need to take is
found in Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and
your plans will succeed.”
I’m not sure what your faith-culture espouses,
but my approach to the future hinges on Jeremiah 29:11, in the Old
Testament: “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord;
plans to help you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and
a future.”
You may want to consider HIS plans as you move
forward in your life. Check with the nearest Army/Navy Store…they
may still have some of those weather balloons!
Max Holt, Class 02-67
Association Chaplain
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