Exceptional Strength

That's the definition of titanic....exceptional strength.  Just recently we commemorated the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titantic, the ocean liner thought to be impervious to sinking, and thus, the rather arrogant name.

Since the discovery of the wreckage 27 years ago, much has been investigated and speculated about the cause of the catastrophe.  It has been determined that the steel that was used was too brittle and therefore not flexible enough to withstand such a blow.

Another speculation concerns the moon's unusually close position in 1,400 years, causing the resulting tides to move the icebergs, that normally broke away that time of year, into the shipping lanes.    This was the result:

My grandfather noted the disaster in his journal with this one line: "I have been reading about the Titanic sinking which was a horrible affair."  He had enough problems in his own life to dwell further on it.


This made me think of another disaster in my own lifetime--the Challenger explosion.  

There was no school that day because of the snow day--January 28, 1986.  I was watching the launch on TV with my 6- and 3-year-old sons never expecting anything to go wrong right before our eyes.  

It was later determined man's sense of infallibility once again played a part in its cause.  NASA had been warned by the manufacturer that the O-rings could shrink in low temperatures.  It was unusually cold that January day in Florida--another unplanned-for natural phenomenon--and whether it was arrogance, greed, or a number of other motives, the launch went ahead.


It would seem mankind did/does not learn from its mistakes.  Whether it's arrogance--that could never happen to me....I would never make that mistake; greed--to fix the problem would cost too much money/time; or just pure laziness we not only endanger ourselves but others.


Marianne Williamson, in "A Return to Love," uses an iceberg analogy to talk about spiritual growth:  "What goes on externally is only the tip of the iceberg in any situation.  The lessons, the real changes, the opportunities to grow--these are things the body's eyes can't see.  They remain beneath the spiritual water line, but they are there.  And they represent a much more vast picture of the soul's journey than what we can see from the perspective of our physical senses.  Growth is not always about getting what we think we want."


No doubt many, many lives were changed after the Titanic and Challenger disasters.  Many people did not arrive at their destination, and those that were left behind suffered greatly for their loss, but if they learned anything from the mistakes made, or grew closer to God in their search for peace and understanding, then growth took place.  And that is a good thing.


Father, I seek Your exceptional strength to see me through life safely.  May I never put my trust in things that can wither or disintegrate, but instead trust only in Your Love which can see me safely through to my true Home.

Link to scripture:  Matthew 6:20

Take action:  World Resources Institute