Spreading Your Wings

(c) 2006 Amelia Earhart by CMG Worldwide

Amelia Earhart: America's Woman of the Sky. The Queen of the Air. Lady Lindy. A figurehead of women's rights, an inspiration to countless aviators, a testament to the American ideals of courage, passion, and vision, and a personal hero of mine. Sadly, the world has hinged their admiration and knowledge of Earhart on the enigma of her disappearance. I'm sure that once her mystery is solved, slowly her name will fade away, and only those committed to the arts of aviation and its history will remember her. However, the life she lived before her infamous circumnavigational flight was and is far greater than any grand "riddle" that shrouds her final moments. She flew further, faster, and higher than any woman had ever done before. In 1928, she was the first woman to fly across the United States. In 1930, she broke the women's speed record. 1932, not only was she the first woman to fly across the Atlantic solo, but she set America's new transcontinental speed record. (1933 would see that record broken by Earhart. She would break it yet again in 1937.)

I encourage all of you to dedicate a few minutes of your time learning about Amelia Earhart. Her words and deeds are too inspiring to overlook. There is much more to this lady than a plane-crash.

This brief "history lesson" on Ms. Earhart is not to inform, but to inspire. Amelia Earhart was not born into a time where any woman could hop into their Lockheed Electra and skim the stratosphere, nor was it typical to even have a woman desire to fly. But Earhart had a spark, no, a flame of passion inside here. She was not content with sitting idly by. She didn't just want to run through life, she wanted to soar.

So the question is: How about you? Are you content with where you stand now, with where your heading? Is your sight set low, or are you looking at the clouds? What a shame it would be to feel moderately content or comfortable with life, to be somewhat satisfied with your life's course. (Now please, savor life, be happy and content with the blessings you are so liberally given. Don't get me wrong here.) Though the ascent is difficult, and you'll be pushed and pulled in every way, you will obtain what you want, what you were destined to achieve, what your God had always planned for you.

Speaking only from my point-of-view, I must say that I am excited, that I am ready. I feel as if I'm in the cockpit, my propellor is whirling, my gauges are all checked out, my belt securely fastened... All I need is the go-ahead from control. Then all of you better look to the sky: this pilot is breaking barriers.

Keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... Make today an adventure.