She rushed down the aisle with a bag in her hand. I could barely make out what it was for, but the letters on the side gave me a decent clue – they seemed to form the word, “EMERGENCY.” That was the last thing I wanted to see at 10,000 feet in the air. Why was she carrying that bag? Why was she rushing toward the cockpit? Why did she have a look of worry on her face? I could only assume the worst.
A few minutes later two gentleman – one being my teacher and chaperone – were escorted to the seats by the emergency exits. They were given the safety briefing, and the flight attendant reassured they were comfortable with the task they were asked to do. After they affirmed they would be able to perform their new duties under pressure, the flight attendant thanked them and rushed back to the front of the plane.
“Ladies and gentleman, we are experiencing problems with our landing gear. The runway at JFK is longer, so we will be landing there instead of La Guardia. You will be given safety instructions in a few minutes. Thank you.”
There was silence for a moment – then the panic kicked in. The flight was half-full at best, but the buzz that started to stir made it feel packed to the brim. Thirteen of us – 11 students and two chaperones – were traveling on a field trip to the Big Apple. We were finally in the air after a two-hour delay earlier in the morning, and then we were being told our arrival airport had changed. If they could have opened it, I’m sure our teachers would have literally thrown our itinerary out the window.
However, with the panic that ensued, the itinerary was the furthest thing from their minds. Both fear and anger were tangibly present amongst the passengers. Emotions were high and people reacted based on the worst possible scenario. Tears erupted all around the flight. Precautionary calls were being made to friends and family. Mumbled cursing to the flight staff was not absent. Everyone handled the situation in their own way, but nothing could change its reality.
Amidst the possibility of failed landing, though, I still managed to feel at ease. I never shed a single tear nor did I feel it necessary to contact my family. I simply held the hands of my friends sitting on either side of me and prayed. I knew that no matter how it turned out, I would be fine. My options were to land and walk safely through JFK or to end up in Heaven experiencing eternal life with the King of the Universe, and either option sounded pretty good to me.
“Ladies and gentleman, we will now go through safety procedures. When the pilot prepares for the descent, these are the actions to follow. Please sit back as far as you can in your seat with your feet still placed firmly on the floor. Cross your arms over the seat back in front of you. The flight attendants will tell you to, ‘Brace’ when necessary.”
Everyone practiced the position and prepared for what seemed like imminent doom. The emotions continued to soar higher than the plane could go. A woman came over and told us all to put on our coats and put our essentials in the pockets. I maneuvered my jeans over my leggings, pulled on my coat, and shoved my phone and wallet in the pockets. I was ready for whatever may come next.
“Brace for impact.”
The flight attendants strapped themselves in, then began their chant.
“Brace.”
“Brace.”
“Brace.”
They relentlessly chanted in unison.
“Brace.”
“Brace.”
“Brace.”
I prayed again, and this time envisioned angels under the wings guiding us to the ground. We’re going to get through this. We’re all going to be OK.
“Brace.”
“Brace.”
“Brace.”
Thud. The plane hit the ground with obnoxious force, but nothing blew up. We seemingly skid to a stop, but no one’s feet went through the floor. We made it. We were safe.
On an average day, an applause after landing is almost annoying. This time, however, it was entirely called for. Tears of relief flowed from many eyes, hugs of comfort were shared, and unending thank you’s were extended to the flight attendants. Eventually, the pilot emerged, and another round of applause broke out. Once we were released, we shook hands with the staff and went on our way.
Since our car had been waiting at La Guardia, we ended up taking the subway to our hotel. Just imagine 13 obvious tourists roaming the streets of New York City toting suitcases and duffle bags. It was a ridiculous sight, I’m sure. When we finally found it, we rested at the hotel briefly, ate at a small deli, and then continued with our journey. We managed to do almost all we had planned, even with a few more setbacks along the way.
At the end of it all, I learned that life is full of experiences that will test your strength both emotionally and physically. I walked away from the plane ride feeling more confident in the Lord and more grateful for life. The miles upon miles walked through the city caused exhaustion that made for nights of good rest. Best of all, though, the whole experience made for memories that will undoubtedly last a lifetime.
