Researchers at the University of Michigan have collected new statistics on the safety of flying.  Even including the two hundred and thirty two lives lost on September 11th 2001, the results indicate that flying is safer than driving.  Using the number of passengers killed on United States airlines in the last ten years, they found that the risk of death during a flight with one take off and landing is about one in twelve and a half million.  For each additional leg of the flight the risk is roughly doubled.

When it comes to driving the risk is different in that it rises steadily with the distance travelled.  Most car accidents purportedly happen near home.  Therefore evaluation of risk for automobile travel needs to be made on major highways because they represent the most likely alternative to flying.  The risk of death from driving turned out to be slightly more than four in a billion, per kilometre of road travelled.

In order to compare these two values, one dependent on distance, and the other on take off and landing frequency, the researchers did some complex calculations.  They concluded that if you are travelling more than eighteen kilometres, you’re better off flying.  Even with two stops, the cut off distance is only fifty-four kilometres.

For flying to be as risky as driving there would have to be a plane disaster on the scale of September 11th, at least once a month.

So next time you take a trip, trust the statistics, and climb aboard.

MOVING BEYOND MATTER
by Deborah Piggott

We see what truly unique creatures we are when it comes to risk taking and trust.  For some people the mere thought of setting off on an risky adventure sends chills up their spine and others live in anticipation of the next challenge.

There are techniques taught by motivational speakers to encourage stepping out of our comfort zone.  One is don’t think about it too much, just jump right in.  Another is asking yourself what you really have to lose - Failure can be an opportunity to learn what went wrong and try again.  Apparently with practice, risk taking becomes easier.

This example comes to mind now when I consider something risky.  It is a valuable lesson I learned by watching my cat use the cat door we installed so he can come and go as he pleases.  When the cat is inside and wants to go out he approaches the door, pauses for a moment with tail flicking and then leaps through at full speed no doubt to scare whatever might be waiting on the other side.

Approaching boldly, hesitating but a moment to consider the situation and once fully committed proceeding courageously are keys to risk taking.

But, since I am a human there is another important element I would add and that is prayer.  Everyday we take for granted the thing we trust in to sustain physical life - the air we breathe - although it surrounds us, it is invisible.  But it is there, just like God, who is omnipresent.

In the spiritual realm we trust in that which we cannot see and cannot touch.  The Bible has a lot to say about faith.  There is a very special prayer found in John’s gospel.  Before Jesus was arrested He prayed for Himself, and for His disciples and for all those who would believe.  He prayed for us who would not be able to see Him in the physical sense or reach out and touch Him, yet, by faith would see Him spiritually.  Trusting our lives to Him is not taking a risk or gambling on a perilous outcome.

When we move toward God without hesitation, not looking back we have the confidence and comfort of being totally surrounded by an unseen but ever present God.