In Other Words
Created | Updated Oct 10, 2003
If you want to witness God's astounding power and creativity, fly in an airplane. Now, I'm sure most of you have already done so at one time or another, but go do it again - this time, look out the window.
You're thrown back in your seat by the force of takeoff, and for a few fleeting instances you think, 'What if we crash? What if I die?' Air travel may be safer than driving a car, but it sure does a number on one's mind. Those thoughts are left behind the second you hit the air. Your ears fill up and you have to swallow spit to pop them, allowing the rumbling noise to rush back into your ears. The sky is God's playground. He dances on the clouds all the time. That's why we can't see God dancing from the ground; he's on top of the clouds. But from an airplane, you can see him perfectly. I do believe his personal favourite is Salsa dancing, but he's also been known to waltz, shimmy, and even do the Macarena.
The clouds are like seeing the tip of an iceberg, and it's not until you dive underwater that you see the splendour of its actual size and glory. Fluffs of whipped cream you could finger up and eat. It's almost like crawling through a padded pillow. 'Help!' you scream, 'I'm stuck in a padded pillow! I can't get out!' The other passengers give you an oddish look, and you promptly smash your face back against the glass.
The ground looks like a miniscule model you'd buy to play with. You close one eye and stick your finger up to the window. 'Roooar! It's Fingerzilla! I'm crushing your hoooouse!' Alas, as you pretend to smash the tiny houses to bits from the window, no place is safe from the vicious Fingerzilla. 'I'm squiiiishing you!'
Night time flight is equally as awe-inspiring. You strain your neck and squish your nose trying to see the city lights below you. Strands of Christmas lights knotted and scattered on the floor. 'I'm getting them untangled, now leave me ALONE!' your mother shouts at you. Random blips of what? Is that a car? A street light? A skyscraper? Even the most magnificent of buildings are reduced to nothing but a point among points from 30,000 feet in the air. In the sky, lightning doesn't come from up above. It's eye level with you, coming out of clouds you're flying on top of. 'What if I get struck? What if the plane gets struck? Will I die?' The ignorant yuppie with his Armani business suit, club soda, and laptop computer is busying himself with his work. What you'd like to do is take his pretty little laptop and bash it repeatedly over his pretty little head, screaming 'Pay attention, you stupid man! It's beautiful out there! Looook!' To which he politely responds by bleeding in your lap. Serves him right.
If this isn't heaven, I don't know what is. I want more than anything to leap out of the plane and freefall. Through the stunning spectacle of towering cumulonimbus clouds, looking down on the thread of river, the crumpled paper look of the mountains. Sure, I'd eventually hit bottom and die a horrible death, but it'd probably be a pretty cool journey.
'S'cuse me, ma'am.' I hear a voice say as I'm falling to my doom.
'S'cuse me?' It must be God; God's a woman.
'Ma'am... a beverage ma'am? Peanuts? Ma'am?' God sounds nice... and offering me a drink, too!
'Miss? Ma'am? MADAM!' I jerk my head around as the stewardess is tapping me on the shoulder. 'A DRINK, Ma'am?!' She's flustered. 'CAN'T YOU SEE I'M FALLING TO MY UNTIMELY DEATH, HERE?!' I shout. I don't need no steenking beverage. She scoots off.
The plane rumbles. The wheels branch out from the bottom. 'Ladies and Gentlemen, we will be preparing to land, please fasten safety belts and turn off all cellular phones until the plane comes to a complete stop.' Slowly, slowly, the ground comes sneaking up on you. 'Ha
ha!' The ground says contently to itself, 'you left me, then you squished all of my houses and cars with your finger, now prepare for ANNIHILATION! MUUAHAHA!' Unfortunately the ground forgot that you're in a large airliner and not falling all by your lonesome, so it does minimal damage as you touch down. Rumble rumble rumble. Everything looks normal. Heaven is once again in it's rightful place above your head. The icebergs peek down at you, displaying a fraction of their vastness. Lightning is up. The ground is nestled neatly below your feet. God dances on his cloud.
Your Little h2g2'er,
