Learning About Life at 35000 feet

In the course of my flying career so far, I consider myself rather fortunate for the nuggets of wisdom that come my way in the course of chasing the horizon (that’s just my way of making the long hours of cruise sound more cool than it actually is)

When I first started training on commercial jets that fly at high altitude, one of the key emergency maneuvers we were taught was the depressurization drill in case of loss of cabin air pressure.

The drill is a number of actions that we have to commit to memory, because in the event of an explosive decompression we don’t have the luxury of time to pull out a checklist to read and complete. Some of the actions would involve turning the aircraft away from the airway, commencing a rapid descent, deploying passenger oxygen masks, communicating with air traffic control; things can get rather hectic.

Invariably, the instructors would quiz us on what needs to be done, and as trainees we’d rattle off the actions we needed to accomplish to “get the aircraft down and save everybody”. As we stop to catch our breath, a sense of pride welling inside at being able to commit all the actions to memory, the instructor fixes a steely gaze on us before going:

“Nope. Everyone’s dead, because you forgot to put your oxygen mask on”
Given the fact that the Time of Useful Consciousness at 35000 feet is 30–60 seconds, the instructor was not exaggerating.

It’s a sobering thought; that as we are consumed with the act of saving others we forget to ensure our own well-being first and foremost, ultimately dooming everyone else.

That’s also the way it is with life and love. Fail to take care of your own health, and you’ll be in no shape to care for your loved ones. Neglect your career or personal finances and not only do you suffer, but you may find yourself unable to put food on the table for your family. Not finding the space to take a break to free yourself occasionally from the stresses of every day life, and you might end up lashing out at the ones you love the most.

Loving yourself doesn’t mean indulging in pleasures. It means doing what needs to be done to ensure that you are happy and healthy, that your physical, emotional and spiritual needs (not merely wants) are met. Because how can you save anyone else if you can’t take care of yourself first?

I’ve learned that knowing how to love myself is good practice towards loving others. By understanding what I need and taking steps to ensure that they’re met, I’m more aware of the needs of others and how best I can help them.

So always remember to put on your oxygen mask.