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Living in the NowWhat does living in the now mean?A Modern Day Example of
"I can't believe it. This can't be true. This isn't happening." I thought back to the miracle landing on the Hudson River of flight 1549 by Captain Chesley Sully Sullenberger and his crew. What happened on that day, January 15, 2009 not only forever sealed the lives of the 155 passengers and their loved ones, but also of many people around the world, like you and me. I often think about pilot Captain Sully, and of his 29-years of experience, his heroic feat and his extraordinary ability to stay in the present, and how that ultimately resulted in the successful outcome of the US Airways flight on that fateful winter day. You're probably wondering: What does Captain Sullenberger have to do with this blog and Elizabeth Towne? Please bare with me and you will soon find out. What made Flight 1549 so Different? ...from other flights that ended in tragedy? Living in the NOW. Could having gotten over disbelief been a factor in saving the lives of 155 souls? I believe it was CRUCIAL. If we compare the response of the pilots from the black boxes who's planes met tragedy to Captain Chesley's actions in face of a life-threatening malfunction, we begin to understand the importance of the power of living in the NOW. It allowed the pilot to take immediate responsiblity of the situation which could have turned fatal but, instead, cleared the way for him to assess the available options and thereby decided his fate and of those of his crew and passengers. The Difference between Life and Death Capt. Sullenberger describes his immediate reaction: "At first, of disbelief - this doesn't happen to me." He was shocked. But when the plane lost thrust, he quickly realized: "I knew I had to take control of the airplane." "May day." Re-assing with each passing minute. Sullenberger made quick decisions; quickly determined he was not going to make it back to La Guardia. He considered landing in Teterboro as another alternative. "No, can't make it." His plane was 3000 feet over New York city. He was looking with urgency for somewhere to land. The only viable alternative was the river. "We are going in the Hudson." No hesitation, and 2 1/2 minutes into the flight, one minute after hitting the birds: "I knew I had to solve this problem. My focus was intensely on the landing. I had to focus and concentrate on landing the plane." "Brace for impact." Landing was just the beginning. He and his crew needed to evacuate all 150 passengers within minutes, or they would drown with the plane in the freezing Hudson waters. Quick decisions, no denial, no hesitation... a can do, must achieve mind-set. All this in less than 5 minutes. Talk about really living in the now! And so, though most of us may not have to face a similar experience in our lifetime, there is value in living in the NOW. Elizabeth Towne calls this adjusting yourself to the NOW. -Elizabeth Towne How do you take control of your life? You cannot control what goes on in your environment, just as it was clear with flight 1549. Captain Sully had no control over the flock of geese crashing into his airplane. But he could control how he faced and acted before those circumstances. How do you live within your circumstances?
May you live in the NOW,
Related Topics Download How to Grow Success here. Being present has an added benefit - Gratitude! When you acknowledge your present reality you open yourself to transformation - paradoxical! Inhabit your body by coming in contact with your inner self - here. Return from Living in the Now to Home.
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