Saturday morning after an early lunch, Sylvia and I drove to her father’s home–nearly an hour away.  She had prepared some food for him and when we arrived she put that food in the refrigerator.  We had time to chat with Dad before Paul and Joyce arrived.  After they came, the five of us got in their car and we began the two-hour drive to Cadillac for Ruth’s funeral.  We talked a little bit, but soon our speaking ceased as road noise and soft music from the radio marked our progress along the highway.

While looking out the window at my side, I saw an airplane approaching from the West.  Trailing behind was a wide contrail of white.

I shot this photo while standing in my driveway.

Unlike the photo image, the jet I saw on Saturday was at very high altitude and was flying almost straight at us.  Also the silvery strand that trailed behind merged into a single wide ribbon.  Both the plane and the contrail were bright against the blue sky.  At first, I had to watch intently to discern any movement.  It was almost as if there were a silver spear suspended in the western sky.

Ever so slowly the “spear” approached and as it came nearer, the apparent velocity increased.  Then it disappeared overhead and I could no longer see the airplane from my window seat.  The contrail remained, marking the passage of the jumbo jet.

It was as though I had been witness to a metaphor of life.  We see from afar and as distance shrinks, not only is the vision clearer but the progress is swifter.  Yet after passing the contrail remains.

As I considered this thought, the bright contrail was already dissipating.  Soon the white ribbon that had marked the path was gone–never to be seen again.  Yet I remember the passing of that mighty airframe, which bore passengers and cargo on the appointed route.

Ecclesiastes 9:14, 15

There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.  (NIV)