Friends Putting Life Into Perspective
It’s one of those incredible blue sky Alaskan spring days. The constant drone of small bush planes heading in and out of Valdez is the red flag that this is the May Day Fly In. The third annual, no less! Not suprisingly, I haven’t seen much of Bill. He’s pretty much been camped out at the airport since Saturday morning. Good for him! Over 150 planes of various sizes, age, and performance are all taking turns “strutting their stuff” so to speak. Poker Runs, short field take off and landing competitions, outhouse flour bombings, acrobatic displays, and free rides are only the half of it. Along with that are a vairety of food boths, face painting, “The Blessing of the Bikes”, a few vintage cars spruced and polished and on display. A regular carnival atmosphere. And the weather couldn’t have been much better.
We were saddend to find out about a good friend of ours at the fly in. Tom Jarvis. The family has since moved a time or two, but we’ve always kept in touch. They’re the type of people that it doesn’t matter how long you are out of touch, you know when you get back together, it’s like it was yesterday. Tom was diagnosed with an inoperable brain cancer in December. Their faith in God is amazing. Though I know this past few months have been hurendous, the stress, fear and anger that so many of us go through in difficult times, is not there. They have band together as a family, and with the help of close friends, loved ones, their church community, their doctors and nurses, and above all, God, they are making it one day at a time.
It’s very humbling to watch their strength and dignity. Times like this really put life into perspective. My prayers are with their family. I hope Bill and I can be a support for them.