Who or What is Piloting Your Life?

An airline pilot’s main job is to get people from point A to point B safely. When you call West Jet to book a flight, one of the first things they will ask you is where are you going? And you might say, well its November, and I don’t like the cold so take me somewhere warm, like Cancun Mexico. Then they’ll take all your information down, charge your credit card a bazillion dollars and save you a seat on a flight to Cancun in November. They will pass that information onto the pilot who will then map out a route to Cancun and make sure him and the rest of his crew get you there safely and, (if weather permits) zero turbulence.

People have things piloting their life everyday. People may not be Boeing 747’s filled to the brim with passengers and luggage, but we all have things, like the air line pilot that guide us down a path to a certain destination. I hope to inspire you today by asking who or what is your pilot, and where is your pilot leading you?

For example, I heard a story the other day about a mother who was addicted to crack cocaine. She had no money, no steady job and would spend her nights seeking floor space in homeless shelters so her son wouldn’t freeze to death at night. Any money she had, she would use it to feed her drug addiction. At one point she got so desperate for money, she gave her son up for adoption in exchange for a weeks worth of drugs. By doing so, she gave him a better life, but now a mother has to live everyday with the guilt of treating her only child like a simple trading card.



This is an example of a bad pilot. In this story, the driving forces behind mom’s decisions were selfish. She cared more about scoring drugs and where to get her next high, and then she did about a life together with her son. As a result she’s now in a lonely depressive state, bearing a pain that no one should bear. Drugs were piloting her life and lead her down a dark, lonely path.

What about your pilot? Who or what is your pilot? Is it leading you down a dark path, or is your pilot directing you with purpose and vision like Rick Hoyt?

Piloting Rick’s life are his parents Dick and Judy Hoyt. Born in 1962 with cerebral palsy, doctor’s advised Dick and Judy to put their son in an institution. Against doctor’s advice, they kept Rick out of the hospitals vowing that he will live a full and happy life just like everyone else. And that’s whaRick did, entering public school in 1975 and graduating from university in 1993.

Graduating from university is great, but it’s not what Rick is known for. Rick Hoyt loves competing in marathons. He did his firs 5 mile road race in 1977 and loved it. He loves it so much that he has now competed in over 1000 marathons, including a few triathlons. All thanks to his pilot. His father and friend, Dick Hoyt.

Whether he’s pushing Ricks chair down the path, or swimming his son across the river in a small raft, Dick Hoyt guides his son from point A to point B as safe as he can. Dick and Judy Hoyt are piloting their son’s life, making choices that put a smile on Ricks face, and joy in their hearts.

I started by asking about you and your pilot. I’m also going to finish by asking about you and your pilot. Who or what is piloting your life? And where is it leading you? Is it an addiction, forcing you to make bad decisions leading you to a lonely and desperate place? Or is your pilot an adventurer guiding you down paths and across rivers of excitement? Who or what is piloting your life, and where is it leading you?