Lest we think we know what is going on

I am not sure in which of the three least neglected blogs to put this story, but I know it is going to ramble, so why not this one? This could have been a film buff entry, as we saw an excellent 1966 Czechoslovak movie, Closely Watched Trains tonight at Club Indigo at the Calumet Theatre. As it turns out maybe even a peace apprentice entry. I spend a great deal of time with philosophy and thinking. Because of early rewards as a child, "oh Jimmy he is so smart" my grandmother would constantly say, I naturally, after a brief detour for puberty, returned to largely intellectual pursuits, by which I obtained my self esteem. So I naturally deplored mysticism and anything to do with thoughts of an after life. I also reel when confronted with thoughts of predestination or that time may not be linear. But, as someone who observes and prides himself in careful analysis, life sometimes presents us with a series of events that leave little room other than to believe in some higher power and the existence of the soul. Even my intellectual hero Camus was not satisfied with the absurd and indifferent universe he constructed for us.

I finally have the home office cleaned up enough that I was able to setup the HP Photosmart C4680 printer scanner which I bought to finish scanning my dad's and family pictures. Instead of working on a funding proposal or a project plan I ended up wanting to scan a photograph of a TF-41-A-1 aircraft engine that I worked on at Allison Gas Turbine Division of GM. The picture was too big for the scanner so I had to do a couple of scans then figure out how to splice them together. So I posted the picture to Facebook. After posting the picture I remembered back to working with this elderly British engineer from Rolls Royce who was one of the few Royal Air Force pilots to get his fighter plane off the ground to battle the Germans over the skies of London during the Battle of Britain. So that was last night.

Tonight we attended Club Indigo - which includes an optional dinner prior to the movie. Even though we were only fashionably late most people were already there for the dinner by the time we arrived. The only open table was near three elderly folks. As it turned out we were very fortunate to be seated with Ken Bracco, Tom and Jenny Secor. Turns out that Tom Secor, now 87 years old, flew multi-engine aircrafts in World War II in the US Navy. I told Tom that in addition to the TF-41, I had also worked on the T-56 engine which is still used in the C-130 multi-engine aircraft. I joked that this was a bit after Tom's time, only to find out Tom had worked on C-130 aircraft programs during his career as well.

The Allison Gas Turbine T-56 Engine

Ken was a former Michigan State Police Officer who later became an internal investigator for both Oldsmobile and then later Michigan Tech. Ken was unfortunately caught up in the Ventures scandal at Michigan Tech - which eventually led him to be involved in a court case that went not once but twice to the Michigan State Supreme Court. On a normal night these stories alone, along with the excellent meal by Chef Cormac of The Irish Times in Laurium, Michigan, and an incredibly delightful movie full of absurdist Czech humor that ends suddenly and poignantly, would have been worthwhile. But, all of this magic and confluence together would not have been enough for me to defy sleep and responsibilities to the omnipresent demands of the business to write this story.

So what then did make me write this story?

"I died." "I passed over to the 4th dimension." "I was met there by three spirit guides." "They said they would help me into eternity or would help me return to earth it was up to me. Being twenty-four years old at the time and being a ball of fire I told them I had to return to earth."

With that Tom and Ken, who is about 12 years younger than Tom, recounted the story of the ill fated test flight in which Tom flew with Dr. McClure and Ed Shmeltz in 1948. No one is sure why Dr. McClure accidentally flew the airplane at full speed into the Houghton County airport hangar instantly killing all three aboard the flight.

But, one of those men who died on board that ill fated test flight was given a chance to return to earth and lead a very, very full life despite incredible physical injuries sustained in the plane crash. Tom was declared legally dead by the coroner, his body covered in a tarp and left to be picked up by an ambulance. Some time later a six year old boy heard a whimper and alerted adults nearby. Tom had returned from the other side. Tom tells the story much better than I do - yes he uses the Internet at age 87.

How often do we get so caught up in the physical reality of the world and get caught up in our own intellects where we think we really know what is going on? We discount phenomena as mere coincidence. Ah the folly of the delusions of control and causality we humans construct for ourselves.

Surely, I was meant to reconnect with my aerospace background from twenty years ago in preparation for our chance meeting with Ken, Tom, and Jenny tonight. When we walked into the dinner - they looked up as if they had been expecting us all along. Just as surely as I was supposed to share this story with our friends who have suffered incredibly heart wrenching losses of family members, especially children. Let them know there is an infinity beyond our earth bound, gravity weighted, oft burdened,  and ephemeral existence.

In eternity our children can be our guides and our teachers. There is no hierarchy between parent and child in Tom's 4th dimension, only souls closely connected for all eternity. Eternity being the absence of the tyranny of time. We will all once again reconnect with those that have gone before us.

Sounds like heaven to me...

-JimN

For Connie, Kaleen, Kurt, and Molly