Have you ever looked back on your life and wondered why you crossed paths with certain people…. some of these encounters were brief and some of these encounters were lasting.
Back on April 20th of 2007, we (hubby, daughter, and me) traveled to Corpus Christi to watch the Blue Angels. Who are the Blue Angels, you ask? They are an elite group of Navy fighter jet pilots who travel around the nation and perform fearlessly awesome air shows that require the utmost human dedication and focus. My husband used to watch them all the time with his grandpa when he grew up in Washington. He wanted to continue this tradition with our daughter, Allison, who was 20 months old when we took her to her first Blue Angels air show.
Allison and Hubby at the Air Show
We had an amazing time, and Allison loved every minute of it! I did too! It was an incredible experience! If you’ve never been to a Blue Angels air show, you have got to get to one! It’s definitely an awe-inspiring experience! After their performance, an announcement was made that the Blue Angel pilots would be signing autographs for a short time period. We stood in line in a huge crowd to wait our turn for autographs. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I was only able to get two autographs, from pilot #4 and pilot #6 (there are a total of six pilots that perform in the Blue Angels air show). It was still fun to be able to meet them, even if it was only two out of the six pilots.
Allison
One week later after this air show, we learned of “breaking news” and that a Blue Angel aircraft crashed during an air show in South Carolina. It was very surreal because the Blue Angels practice so much that an accident, let alone a fatal crash, was almost an absurd thought. It was announced that Jet #6 crashed, and its pilot, Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Davis, was killed during the crash. OMG, my heart sank! Just six days previously, we met this kind and gracious soul as he chatted with all of us while autographing our posters. As brief as our encounter may have been, his smile and kindness lit up my daughter’s face as we got his autograph. Just six days previously, we watched six Blue Angel pilots grace the clear skies with their amazing and rare skills to demonstrate what can be accomplished if we focus our minds on our goals. It is one of the purest forms of human dedication to a passionate cause for oneself AND outside of oneself. To become a Blue Angel is one of the most challenging and rewarding feats these men will ever accomplish in their lifetime.
Blue Angels
His death once again reminded me about how short and fleeting life can be. His family was in the crowd watching the air show that weekend in South Carolina. How horrific it must have been for his mother to have learned that her son was the one who was killed in that crash. It reminded me of all the loved ones that I’ve lost in my life, and it reminded me to appreciate all the loved ones that I still have in my life today. Some people have come into my life for a brief moment and left a lasting impression, others have come and visited for a short time, while others have come and remained for a long time to become wonderful life-long friends and angels. Regardless, my life has been richly blessed with each encounter. 
My life has been touched by many angels – the ones who stand out in my mind today are a Blue Angel pilot named Kevin Davis and YOU.
Take the time today to tell a loved one that you love him/her because tomorrow is never a guarantee.
Blue Angel Pilots
Love your Angels:)
