Sound Reasoning

Morning, Ms J. I'm up early today -- fed, shaved, and showered. It's cool and rainy outside. 13C I wonder if the airshow will be cancelled due to the weather? The Canadian International Airshow It was wet and overcast yesterday, but the show proceeded anyway. Actually, I've got a hunch it was cut short when the rain began in earnest.

I was sitting at the table, studying my script, when the early afternoon silence was shattered by the crackle and roar of a powerful jet engine. I leapt up and dashed outside just in time to catch a glimpse of a CF-18 as it banked sharply in a tight u-turn to return to the CNE grounds four miles away. The noise was nearly overwhelming, Ms J! I could actually feel the air moving about me and rumble deep in my chest. I felt excited and happy.

"Cool, eh?"

It was my young neighbour, Maggie. She's just 17.

"Yeah," I said. "Wicked cool!"

I looked up and down the street and I noticed a few others on front porches and lawns, all gazing upward hoping for another look at the powerful jet fighter. It was awe-inspiring, Ms J. Really exciting.

I returned to my coffee and script at the table and thought of the poor unfortunates who live every day with the threat of war outside their homes. I'm sure the roar of a military jet doesn't evoke the same feelings of excitement for them. I'm certain they don't rush outside to look, but instead hurry their families into closets or cellars and pray for their safety. Children cry with fear and mothers do their best to mask their own fears to offer comfort and assurance to the little ones.

This morning at church, I'll pray for those helpless souls. I'll pray that world leaders might soon wake up to the needless suffering and devastation they're causing and withdraw their troops and silence their guns.

You know Ms Journal, I may never experience the sound of a military jet quite the same again.

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