While on vacation I finished an autobiographical accounting of Amelia's historical flight in the Friendship called, 20 hrs., 40 min.  I took note of many parts of the book-- and many of her funny remarks and humble stories.

One story that amused me was when she gave an accounting of the time she experienced real fog for the very first time.  She explained that it was very "disquieting." She explained that in fog with that density, it is virtually impossible to know what the plane is doing. She told of how it could be going in circles or even upside down and the pilot would not know his/her position in space.  The absence of outside landmarks leaves the pilot to count on physical feedback--such as noting if your seatbelt seems to have tightened or if your feet have dropped back from the rudder.

When experiencing this for the first time Amelia decided to kick the plane into a tailspin, on purpose and plummeted from 12,000 feet down to 3,000 feet at which time she emerged from the fog and landed safely.  What is amusing is that after she was back on the ground she explained that one of the old-timers asked as he looked at the plane's barograph record which showed the huge & rapid drop in elevation, "What does that mean? Did you go to sleep along in there?"  She relayed that he was not "impressed favorably."

She explained to him how she got out of the fog "by way of the tailspin."

To that, he replied, "Suppose the fog had lasted all the way to the ground?"

Well I think we all know the answer to that one...

Amelia told this story because she wanted to emphasize how a pilot, must have experience flying with instruments and not only "by horizon." It is through your instruments that you will maintain your "course, equilibrium and altitude," she explained.  And so it is with us as we pilot ourselves though the metaphorical flights of our lives.

So today, I thank Amelia for her reminder that we often count on "the horizon" for feedback in life.  We look at what is before us on the horizon, or the obvious things that fill our days- for feedback on how we are navigating our course.  But the world is infinitely more complex than this and requires more reliable feedback, especially when the fog rolls into our life. Things like our bank accounts, real estate values, roles, degrees and shoe collection give a limited view of our existence. It is our inner instruments or spiritual GPS that will give the completed picture.  If we regularly glance at our spiritual dashboard we will tune into our inner guidance which calls on us to adjust our course if needed.

Check your dashboard.

All the best!

Rena M. Reese
Founder, Soul Salon International