Air Tram Inspiration | Rabbi Ari Bensoussan

There are so many times that we try to control and we give a look at so many things in the world that we’re not meant to give a look to, and we think: “I’m going to control myself.” But honestly, does it go anywhere? Am I accomplishing anything with this small act right now? There was a mother who was getting ready to clean up for Pesach. You know, the house is flying with the kids all around. So when her husband, who himself was a Rebbe, came home, and he said to his wife: “What can I do to help you? You know, do you want me to pick up a broom? Do you want me to start vacuuming? What can I do?” She’s like: “One thing: Take all the kids, put them in the minivan, and go!” He’s like: “Where should we go?” She’s like: “Lalalalala! Just go!” Now he lives in New Jersey, and he figured: “You know, Newark Airport has the air tram. It goes from terminal to terminal, and you can watch planes take off, you can see people coming on with their bags all ready! It’s non-stop action! And it’s free! That’s where I’m going to go with the kids! So sure enough he pulls up, long-term parking, gets the kids, they get on the air tram, and they start to go from terminal to terminal and they’re having a great time! All of a sudden, by one of the terminals, a pilot comes walking onto the air tram to go to his terminal The pilot, trying to make a little small talk, says to the father with the kids: “So where are you guys going?” And the father sheepishly says to the pilot: “In truth, I just brought the kids here to see the planes, but we’re going nowhere. And the pilot, very oddly, got very serious in that moment. And the pilot said: "Let me tell you something: “I got a text from my son a few weeks ago, and my son said: "Dad, this is the last time I'm ever reaching out to you. From this point, I want you to get rid of my number. You missed your grandson’s birthday. Now, it’s bad enough through my whole life you were never there for me. Graduations, birthdays, any kind of celebration, you were busy flying the world! You always said me: I've got another destination. Well, unfortunately, as your son, I was never your destination. So Dad, this is the last time. Forget my number, we’re done!” And then the pilot, with a tear in his eye, said: “And then my other child, my daughter, she sent me a text just last night, and she told me the same thing.” He said: “You know, I’ve flown around the world, and I’ve gone nowhere in life. You may be staying put here but in life, you, my friend, with your kids and your family, you’re going everywhere.” Rabbotai, we may feel sometimes that the challenges that come to us, and when we beat them, we feel like: “Yeah, but, have I done anything? I’m not really going anywhere with this. When in truth, if you can see what heaven sees, if you can see what Hashem sees, looking down, and that amazing control that you’ve shown, in Shamayim, they give you a standing ovation, and they say: “Give a look: here’s somebody, who with his control, he is going everywhere!”