3 things I learned while my plane crashed Ric Elias
imagine a big explosion as you climb
through 3000 feet
imagine a Plane full of smoke imagine an
engine going clock clock clock clock
sounds scary well had a unique seat that
day I was sitting in 1d I was the only
one who could talk to the flight
attendants so I looked at them right
away and they said no problem we
probably hit some birds the pilot had
already turned the plane around and we
weren’t that far you could see Manhattan
two minutes later three things happen at
the same time the pilot lines up the
plane with the Hudson River it’s usually
not the route he turns off the engines
now imagine being on a plane with no
sound and then he says three words as
unemotional three words have I’ve ever
heard he says brace for impact
I didn’t have to talk to the flight
attendant anymore I could see in her
eyes it was terror life was over and I
want to share with you three things I
learn about myself that they I learned
that it all changes in an instant we
have this bucket list we have these
things we want to do in life and I
thought about all the people I wanted to
reach out that I didn’t all the fences I
wanted am in all the experiences I
wanted to had and I never did as I
thought about that later on I came up
with the same which is I collect bat
wines because if the wine is ready and
the person is there I’m opening I no
longer want to postpone anything in life
in that urgency that purpose has really
changed my life the second thing I
learned that day and this is as we clear
the George Washington Bridge which was
by not a lot
I thought about wow I really feel one
real regret I’ve lived a good life in my
own humanity and mistakes I’ve tried to
get better at everything I tried but in
my humanity
I also allow my ego to get in and I
regretted the time I wasted and things
that did not matter with people that
matter I thought about my relationship
with my wife with my friends with people
and after as I reflected on that I
decided to eliminate negative energy
from my life not perfect a lot better
I’ve not had a fight with my wife in two
years it feels great
I no longer trying to be right I choose
to be happy the third thing I learned
and this is as your mental clock starts
going 15 14 13 you can see the water
coming I’m saying please blow up right I
don’t want this thing to break in 20
pieces like you’ve seen in those
documentaries and as we’re coming down I
had a sense of wow dying is not scary
it’s almost like we’ve been preparing
for our whole lives but it was very sad
I didn’t want to go I love my life and
that sadness really framed in one
thought which is I only wish for one
thing I only wish I could see my kids
grow up about a month later I was in a
performance by my daughter first grader
not much artistic talent yet
and I’m balling I’m crying like a little
kid and he made all the sense in the
world to me I realize at that point by
connecting those two dots that the only
thing that matters in my life is being a
great dad
above all above all the only goal I have
in life is to be a good dad I was given
the gift of a miracle of not dying that
day I was given another gift which was
to be able to see into the future and
come back and live differently I
challenge you guys that are flying today
imagine the same thing happens on your
plane and please don’t
but imagine and how would you change
what would you get done that you’re
waiting to get done because you think
you’ll be here forever how would you
change your relationships and the
negative energy in them and more than
anything are you being the best parent
you can thank
you