Achievement is a Family Affair
I know it probably seems silly, but Ray and I really prefer to stay on the ground. We are thankful for the times we have flown and what flying has made possible for us to do, but, truth be known, we like cars, boats, and trains more than planes.
But just because we like to stay on the ground doesn’t mean that we don’t like to learn about people who get off the ground. Their stories are fascinating. In 1927 Charles Lindbergh became the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean when he flew from New York to Paris. In 1941 the Tuskegee Airmen became the first African Americans to fly for the U.S. military. In 1947 Chuck Yeager became the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound.
But none of those firsts would have been possible without the first achieved by Orville and Wilbur Wright on the Kill Devil Hills along the coast of North Carolina on December 17, 1903. That is the day that these two brothers realized a dream they had been working on together for years with the encouragement of their father and sister, having been inspired as boys by the mechanical talents of their mother who had learned her mechanical skills from her father.
The invention of the airplane was a family affair. So was the redemption of the world — our Heavenly Father and His Holy and Only Son worked together to achieve the greatest achievement in the history of the world.
Jesus and His Father always agreed. The same was not true for the Wright brothers but they stuck it out together and the world has not been the same since.
In 2013 Ray and I drove — on the ground in a car — to the outer banks of North Carolina. While we were there, we visited the Wright Brothers National Memorial. We asked someone who was traveling with a group of motorcyclists — they traveled on the ground, too — to snap this silly photo — taken on the ground — for a book I was putting together for our grandchildren.
We saw the hut where the two brothers lived together winter after winter from 1900-1903 as they perfected their invention. We heard about the coin toss that decided who would pilot their aircraft first on that bitter December day — Orville won the toss. We walked to the spots where their four flights took them that day. We saw the American flag flying there in the breeze. We felt proud and patriotic.
But undergirding all of that were the atmosphere and all its qualities that God created, two intellects He created in His image, the family that stood behind two brothers, and the citizens of Kill Devil Hills who lent a hand to two dreamers. It was one of those citizen volunteers who had never before taken a photograph in his life who snapped this famous picture.
Later that day the brothers walked four miles to Kitty Hawk to send a telegram to their father. They told him of their success, told him to tell the press, and told him they would be home for Christmas.
One quote in a museum at the Wright Brothers National Memorial caught my eye:
“Isn’t it astonishing that all these secrets
have been preserved for so many years
just so that we could discover them!!” — Orville Wright
It was no surprise when Ray gave me a suggestion for a present for his recent birthday. If historian David McCullough writes it, Ray wants to read it. McCullough’s latest work of history is The Wright Brothers. Ray already has the audio version on hold for me through the Tennessee library system so I can listen to it when I get slightly off the ground on my rebounder. When I signed Ray’s copy, I noticed an almost blank page at the front. It read simply:
“No bird soars in a calm.” — Wilbur Wright
I agree with Wilbur Wright. God wants us to soar too much to give us calm all the time.
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
Isaiah 40:38-41
And, if we ever win tickets to say . . . the Great Wall of China or somewhere. . . . Hey, we’ll probably reconsider how we feel about flying for about . . . say, a half a minute — and soar on an airplane, too!
I’ve always been fascinated by the Wright brothers. I read their childhood biography when I was in about 4th grade and that kicked off my love of biographies. My son who was recently confirmed at our church chose the above verse for his confirmation life verse. He preferred the version that said “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength”.
Maybe someday I’ll get to visit this famous site as well, I would love to.
Oh, I do, too! We were on a Notgrass Company trip. Though we stay super-busy in our sixties, we are thankful for the wonderful side trips we get to do along the way.
We read about the Wrights this year as part of our history lessons and my youngest fell in LOVE with the brothers, sister and the whole family. We are planning a trip there in a few months. Any tips or anything to share? I assume you had a guide, since you mentioned hearing about the coin toss. Ambrielle (our youngest) has told anyone who will listen that we are going to Kill Devil Hills. (Most people don’t know what or where that is…..such is the plight of a budding history-lover).
And I’m with you , I like to stay on the ground but I sure do love the speed of wings! Condense a 12 hour drive down to an hour and a half? No problem!
I am so happy for you and I hope Ambrielle and all the rest of you have a wonderful time. First, I would recommend that you plan on being at the memorial for the better part of a day. The complex is rather large since it encompasses where they took off and the places where they landed that day, plus their camp, a visitor’s center, and a museum. There is even a small airport on site. It was cool to see a plane take off and fly behind the flag pole in the picture on the blog. We went first the visitor center where a guide told a room full of us the story of the Wright Brothers. He was a young park ranger with a PhD in history; he was marvelous. The original memorial was built in the 1930s or so and is of an art deco design. It is quite impressive. There is a set of statues that recreate the scene where the plane took off, complete with the volunteers. That is where we had our picture taken on the plane. It is a super cool spot and gives a great impression of the experience. We also walked around in the re-created camp compound and walked to the markers which show where each of the four planes landed that day. They are numbered 1 through 4. They got a little farther with each try until a gust of wind picked up the plane and crashed it. I would also try to see the lighthouses of the outer banks if you have time. We enjoyed the ferry to Okracoke where we saw a beautiful harbor scene and a little British cemetery where British soldiers who died nearby were buried during World War II. It has a British flag flying. There are also things to do at Roanoke, which also pretty close. I hope this helps!
Very nice tribute to this interesting family….it makes me wonder what else is waiting to be discovered! I am fairly certain it will not be discovered by me!! But I can appreciate what others do!!
Good thought. I wonder . . .