“To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.”

— Pema Chodron

Auto pilot is a great technology.

You turn it on and you don’t have to think any more. It takes care of maintaining your direction. No need to worry about your altitude, auto-pilot just handles it for you. Heck, it even will deal with any turbulence.

Wouldn’t that be great for life, too?

You just set your course, dial-in your altitude and cruise effortlessly through life. No thoughts, no worries. Heck, it would even handle those annoying bumps that people give you along the way.

Wouldn’t that be great?

Maybe for most people. But not for the person who wants to do good. They know that those bumps on the flight, those problems in society, those conflicts that make us a little uncomfortable are the opportunities to make a difference.

If the safety and security of auto pilot is good for you, keep it on. It’s safe.

But if you’re willing to take a chance and help someone, you might feel a little turbulence. It could be rough from time to time. You might have to change your altitude and direction more often.

But you’ll be taking a flight that matters.

Yesterday’s gift of time … As part of volunteering to be an officer for my Silicon Forest Toastmasters club for another year, I needed to attend a board meeting. The auto-pilot was off.