Coming Home

Today, I return from a trip to Guam.  It is February 12th, 2012 and the time is approximately 10:25 AM in Guam.  Delta flight 97 boarded and departed on-time and we're on our way to Narita Prefecture, Japan.  So far the flight is absolutely smooth. 

I'm reading "Fully Human, Fully Divine" by Michael Casey.  I just finished them chapter 16 titled "Ambiguity."  There are many lessons to learn from this chapter.  Fr. Casey writes about the sinfulness that exists in the world, in the Church, and in us.  He suggests that the Church is in need of reform.  That reform must, however, begin in our own lives.  "Whether we intend it or not, 'none of us lives for ourselves ans none of us dies for ourselves' (Rom 14:7)."

One lesson is that "...there are three realities that will motivate our efforts to improve the situation: a clear perception of our need to do something, our love for the Church that will not allow us to slide into an easy despair, and our faith that God will supply whatever we need to accomplish the work that has to be done."

More later..

Super Bowl Sunday


Today is Super Bowl Sunday.  I was supposed to depart on my flight to Guam today.  Key word = supposed.  Well a funny thing happened on the way to the runway.  My flight from Richmond, Virginia departed the gate on time this morning.  We taxied out to the runway without incident.  Then we sat there for a while.  After the delay, the captain announced that he was unable to get the right hand engine started and that we were returning to the gate.

After arriving there, he summoned the maintenance crew who worked on the problem and discovered that the the engine starter was inoperative.  The delay meant that I would not make my next connection to Tokyo.  The airline agent rebooked me for the next set of flights.  I now will leave tomorrow morning.  That means another 3 AM wake up and 4 AM drive to the airport.  Then I fly 2 hours to Atlanta, 15 hours to Tokyo, and another 4 hours to Guam.  And of course, add in the 2-3 hours of layover at each airport.  I'm scheduled to arrive the following day at 11:40 PM.  From the initial take off, until the final landing, that is a full 24 hours enroute.  I'm sure I'll be totally wiped out by then.

But, it's no problem.  I could have had the breakdown while at the Atlanta airport where, instead of getting to come home for the night, I could spend a night in a hotel.  Or, we could have taken off, sustained an inflight emergency and either ended up at an airport that has few amenities, or even crashed.  So, all in all, not a bad day.

I got back home at about 11 AM this morning.  I've got my suitcases, I spent the day with my sweetie, and I get to watch the Super Bowl!