I don’t think of myself as a frequent flyer. For me air travel goes in spurts, and it has been two years since I was last in a plane. Maybe 2026 will see a return to the skies, but probably not.

It isn’t fear that keeps me on the ground, though I will admit there is always a bit of adrenaline flowing at takeoffs and landings. Statistically that is the most dangerous part of a flight. But I always relax once the wheels touch down in a landing. Nothing bad could happen once you are on the ground, right?

We need to remember, bad things can happen at any time. The future is uncertain. The two pilots who died on Sunday in New York probably never imagined their jet would collide with a truck. it was a routine landing, The fire truck shouldn’t have been where it was. (And the death toll from the collision may yet rise.)

It isn’t just planes. Locally, a school crossing guard was taken to hospital Monday with life threatening injuries after being struck by a truck that fled the scene. He died in hospital. You just never know.

I sometimes joke that I will see people “tomorrow, if a meteor doesn’t hit me first.” It doesn’t come across as funny to some people – but it is true. Life is fragile.

I don’t really expect to be hit by a chunk of rock falling from space. Statistically the odds are too negligible to give it any serious thought.

But hit by a car crossing a street? Always a possibility.

Killed in a terrorist attack? Also not impossible, given that I work in Parliament. My office is a potential target.

Do I expect those things to happen? No. But those people in the plane in New York Sunday were probably like me. They relaxed when the wheels hit the runway.

It’s a sobering thought. How many of us are prepared for sudden death? I don’t mean the paperwork. If you die, someone else has to handle the paperwork.

What would we say to God if we unexpectedly (to us) showed up on his doorstep? The Bible lays out a very clear message that only those who have made preparations will be admitted.

have you looked into that? Are you ready to meet your maker? Maybe you should make some plans. Just in case.