What Is My Light Bulb?

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On a dark December night 36 years ago, a Lockheed 1011 jumbo jet crashed into the Florida Everglades, killing over 100 people. This terrible accident was one of the deadliest crashes in the history of the United States.

A curious thing about this accident is that all vital parts and systems of the airplane were functioning perfectly—the plane could have easily landed safely at its destination in Miami, only 20 miles away.

During the final approach, however, the crew noticed that one green light had failed to illuminate—a light that indicates whether or not the nose landing gear has extended successfully. The pilots discontinued the approach, set the aircraft into a circling holding pattern over the pitch-black Everglades, and turned their attention toward investigating the problem.

They became so preoccupied with their search that they failed to realize the plane was gradually descending closer and closer toward the dark swamp below. By the time someone noticed what was happening, it was too late to avoid the disaster.

After the accident, investigators tried to determine the cause. The landing gear had indeed lowered properly. The plane was in perfect mechanical condition. Everything was working properly—all except one thing: a single burned-out lightbulb. That tiny bulb—worth about 20 cents—started the chain of events that ultimately led to the tragic deaths of over 100 people.

Of course, the malfunctioning lightbulb didn’t cause the accident; it happened because the crew placed its focus on something that seemed to matter at the moment while losing sight of what mattered most. ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf

How often do I do this?

How often do I become obsessively preoccupied with a-not-entirely-vital light bulb and thus in turn ignore the bigger picture around me and become distracted from what is most important?

I am afraid the answer is far too often.

It is probably daily if I am being completely honest.

But my point in this post isn’t to make me or you feel guilty.  I don’t want any pity parties to be thrown.

All I want to do is gauge where my true focuses are. What do I want out of my life?  What is my big picture goal?  Are my daily, hourly and 5 minute goals aligned with my eternal perspective?

If not, I  want to start recognizing now … TODAY … what my distracting burned out light bulbs are.  And then I want to change them.  I want to change the ones that I can control, for I can not control the actions of others, only the actions of myself.

Pause for a moment and check where your own heart and thoughts are. Are you focused on the things that matter most? How you spend your quiet time may provide a valuable clue. Where do your thoughts go when the pressure of deadlines is gone? Are your thoughts and heart focused on those short-lived fleeting things that matter only in the moment, or on things that matter most?

What grudges do you bear? What excuses do you cling to that keep you from being the kind of [person] you know you should be? What are the things that distract you from your duties or hinder you?

Sometimes the things that distract us are not bad, in and of themselves; often they even make us feel good.

It is possible to take even good things to excess. ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Well I am off to do some light bulb changing housekeeping.

I don’t expect perfection out of myself, but I do want to do the very best that I know I can.  Before it is too late.

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