The Speed of Human

What is the Speed of Human? 

 How often do we read about current events and don't translate them into our own stories?  We are deaf when the stones in our stories shout at us.  Let's work with a recent story of a near miss collision at National Airport. 

 

Here’s the story.  The weather changed dramatically in the DC Metro area. The Traffic Controller signaled the approaching USAir planes from the south to go around and land from the north.  This is routine…unless that is….the runway is cleared to land on. The jet that was landing was flying at 436 mph right into two jets taking off.  12 seconds from a head on collision. Tragedy narrowly avoided.  Meanwhile, the landing jet was perilously low on fuel.  Another close call on landing. 

Now, if you believe Ray Lahood, Sec'ry of Transportation, then there was "no chance of a collision."  I wonder what the panic was over, therefore, and why there is the story and investigation.  In any regard, the fact remains that "human error" was at work.
 
So what can we pull out of this story for our stories?  How often do we hear those words-- Sit back, ladies and gentlemen and enjoy your flight. Never are we told—forget the thousands of near misses that have occurred in recent years.  It boils down to human error.  Human error….

Our lives are busier than airports. Or should we say—we make them busier than airports?  Comings and goings and mid-air collisions with ourselves. They escalate in intensity and put others at risk. 

Running the stop sign….

Beating the read light,

Driving after drinking,

Texting, talking on cells while driving…

In all these—we maximize the margin for error. Something deeper has happened in us.

 

Say those two words a few times--“human error.” When we fail to properly respect ourselves as “human,” we increase the margin for "error."  When we fly faster than the speed of humanity, so to speak, we cease to be human.   We over-function, dysfunction, and end up with dis-ease.  The insidious part of this behavior is the addiction to do even more.  Take a time management course. Cram more into the day! Learn to multi-task.

Thank God the mid-air collisions were avoided.  I bet the people on those planes are seeing their lives differently today.  How about the traffic controller?   The point is—how will we ourselves learn from this event? 

So fill in the blank in the sign?  How fast is human?  

I look at Jesus’ life as a pattern for us.  He taught by words and example.  He taught with words that we could not add to the span of our lives (but we sure try!) and we have what we need (except for eBay) and that God clothes us with more glory than Solomon (but we want more). (Matthew 6: 24-29)  So off we go on our desperate search to add what we believe the Creator left out. 

Now look at the example of Jesus’ life.  He walked his talk.  His pattern of life engaged crowds, took on tasks, confronted hypocrisy and then…and then….he went off to a lonely place to pray (Mark 2) or withdrew into the mountains when they were going to make him a king (John 6).  Engage/Withdraw… go at the speed of humanity.  And for Christians, this was the Son of God who patterned his life this way! 

Look at the other great spiritual leaders like Gandhi and you will see the same pattern.  Go at the speed of humanity…  It’s the closest we come to our divinity.