The news these days is often depressing at worst and frustrating at best. It’s easy to get caught up in the spin cycle and let it get us down. Never fear… The News Blender has you covered. Once a week we feature Something Good and, in return, all you have to do is tell us something good that has happened to you this week, something you are thankful for, a joke, a cute animal story, an inspiring tale of heroics, a Random Act of Kindness… SOMETHING good.
This week’s Something Good is the power to make a difficult time better.
Brian Lenzan flew with American Airlines for 34 years. It was his dream job but pilots are forced to retire at age 65 so a retirement flight was unavoidable.
For his last flight, on July 24th, Brian was allowed to pick his destination and crew. So Lenzen arranged for a hand-picked crew to accompany him to his chosen destination: Dublin, Ireland. On board the return flight was an Irish choir. When the members of the St. Anthony on the Lake choir realized this was the pilot’s last flight, they asked permission to sing an Irish blessing over him.
Lenzen walked off the jet for the last time and realized the singing he heard was meant for him. He told KARE11, “It was just a very special moment. I’m kind of an emotional guy anyway, and so I got a little tearful realizing that was for me.”
Lenzen and his wife will make the most of his retirement at their retirement home on a lake in Minnesota, although he says he will miss flying. While his last day as a pilot for American Airlines was bittersweet, an Irish choir blessing was a kindness that, perhaps, made it a bit easier to bear.
The power to make someone else’s burden a little lighter is one we all have. And that is something good.
Now it’s your turn… tell me Something Good!
