| It was late afternoon as we lined up on the runway for
the last flight of
the day. Practicing
war games made for
long, intense training
days and this would
have been my third
flight for the day.
But I did not want
to miss it. I was
a young pilot and
I enjoyed pushing
the envelope. Late
flights can be very
beautiful, filled
with majestic views.
As we took off for
this final flight
of the day, the setting
sun was just at the
right angle to send
the last rays of light
into my eyes, so I
put the visor down
to block the glare.
I loved flying
during these summer
afternoons, watching
the subtle changes
in the colors
of the desert
floor as the day
comes to a close.
After several
passes through
low valleys and
some tight maneuvers,
we turned back
to base in a sky
filled with oranges
and pinks; the
sun was no longer
visible. As I
made the final
approach, I noticed
that the runway
lights just ahead
looked a little
dim. "Can
you turn up the
lights?"
I asked over the
radio to the control
tower.
"Sure",
was the reply.
The lights on
the runway immediately
turned a bit brighter.
"Thanks",
I said. The officer
in the control
tower then added,
over the radio.
"You might
also want to lift
up your visor".
Luckily, there
were only a few
other pilots in
the air to hear
this and witness
my embarrassment;
so, I smiled,
pulled the visor
up and made a
good landing.
What's the point?
I never waste
embarrassment
since it can be
a good teacher.
Here is what I
learned from this
experience:
- If something doesn't
look right, if
you cannot see,
begin the search
close by.
- Always check yourself
first - are you
blocking possibilities,
are you preventing
light? Turn up
the lights inside
you.
- Often, the answer
is closer than
you think. Often
it is just in
front of your
nose. In my case,
it was literally
so.
- Asking for help
is the fastest
way to get an
external perception.
We can all ask
others to help
us turn up the
lights more often.
- Keep a good sense
of humor. It will
help you turn
embarrassment
into a helpful
lesson.
Now it's your
turn. Turn up
the lights (lift
up the visor)
and be your own
leader.
© Aviv Shahar
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