I would like you to think that I had it all together. That I had ‘got this.’ That I was calmly sitting in the sweltering plane, chatting, trusting that everything would be fine. Most of all relying on the God whom I am quick tell you I trust implicitly. But alas it was not so. “I don’t believe this is happening” I whispered to Douglas. “It is stifling in here and I feel like I can’t breathe but everyone on the plane is chatting and murmuring, seemingly happily, whilst I am about to have a meltdown.” This mini drama took place last Friday the 25th of January. The roasting wind had been blowing a gale and the red dust was swirling, it was 43 °
When we boarded the plane it had already been sitting in the burning hot sun for some time. Now the captain was telling us that there was only one runway and we were tenth in the queue. “We’ll be about fifteen to twenty minutes before we can take off, he assured, we’ll keep you posted.” Now it was half an hour since the Captain’s message and we had heard nothing, the warm air through the vents was almost nauseating and Yvette decided to fan me with the safety card. By this time one or two others were fanning too. So much for keeping us informed it was now nearly an hour since we first boarded the plane.
If I was highly strung I could have a panic attack sitting in this sardine tin of humanity, I thought. I could almost get up and scream ‘let me out of here’. But no! It’s not in my DNA to scream so I’ll sit here and suffocate. Where is that Captain who was going to keep us posted? I’m never going to fly again.
And then is happened we started to move at last. As the nose of the plane lifted my heart soared too and within a couple of minutes the Air Conditioning kicked in and my face was being flooded with exquisite refrigerated air. Up above the red dust and into the clear blue sky all was forgotten. It seemed no time before we turned to see the glistening sun on the shimmering blue water of the Sydney approach. On arrival the sight of my two smiling daughters dissolved all my resolve. Yes, I would fly again, of course I would. How else was I going to get to Sydney?
After all, my God is always watching over me, ‘He’s got this!’ even if I haven’t. Pity I didn’t remember that at the time. (Psalm 91:11)
Veronica Nowell - Author 