Point of View

This picture from a week or two ago had several smiling. Obviously I’m at work and down on the ramp at the airport. The source of the amusement is that the co-worker hanging out of the aircraft window (he’s actually supposed to be cleaning the window). He is yelling down to us something we can’t hear. Airports at the best of times are noisy places and at this hour with planes moving all around, its a wonder we can hear him at all!

Eventually we worked out he was trying to tell us, “there should be a good sunset in about five minutes”. Well, the reason that’s funny is that we were standing where we were, quite a line of us actually, was exactly because of the already spectacular goings on in the sky. We were LOOKING at the sun setting!!

The point here though is that while I’m not showing the sunset well at all (It really was spectacular) my friend can’t see it at all. You’d think he could from “up there” but the shape and size of the aircraft is deceptive. The curvature of the planes body from where he is means he can’t look behind the aircraft where the sun is at all. He knows it’s there because there are reflections all over the airport. The light has changed color and even the side of the aircraft is doing a good job of showing it, but from his high perch he just can’t see it at all!

Knowing it must be there, even knowing what time the sun sets, and cleverly realizing the conditions are perfect for a terrific special “Kodak Moment” just isn’t the same as experiencing it first hand.

Second hand sunsets just aren’t the same.

…and second hand faith is kinda the same way. The real deal is much more exciting that relying on someone else to tell you about theirs.