If we could control the weather...

Right now I’m sitting in the Birmingham International Airport (Alabama, that is).

Right now there is a large storm over Atlanta.

And as it goes, I don’t think I’ll be boarding my plane anytime soon – the same plane that’s supposed to be leaving in 17 minutes.

The desk agent came over the intercom a few minutes ago to update us of the situation. I’m not too worried, or angry. The Delta folks have been great, and this has been nothing like the American Airlines fiasco last month. I mean, the Delta folks even smile.

But the funniest, strangest, or most out of place statement (take your pick) thus far is what the desk agent afterwards. She stated, “If we could control the weather, we wouldn’t be a bankrupt airline as it is.” This, of course, elicited the response she was looking for – laughter (there were a few ooooo’s as well).

So we’ve covered funny – laughter.

Strange. Strange, because I didn’t know that the financial well-being of a company, group, or individual was based upon weather conditions. I wasn’t aware that a multi-billion dollar institution would hang it’s hat on the coat rack of the totally and completely unpredictable and false science of weather watching. Now, I can understand that the weather has, does, and will continue to totally screw up your plans, but the weather has never been a good guide for investment strategy – right? (Mental note – don’t invest in a company that claims to be bankrupt due to the weather)

But then again, she was just a Delta Desk Agent, what does she know…

Out of place. Maybe not for the culture, maybe just in my mind. Jason and I visited Eric’s grave site (or what we presumed it to be since there was no headstone to be seen) yesterday and it started sprinkling. At one point I said, “It wasn’t supposed to rain today…but then again, I guess it was.”

There are many ways to look at all of this, but two come to mind. On the one hand, you can look at the circumstance and say, “Well, I guess it was supposed to happen, because it did.” It’s a sort of fatalism that places all circumstance and situation into the hands of blind fate. I suppose some find solace in that, I don’t think I do. On the other hand, you can look at the circumstance and say, “It was supposed to happen because it was planned.”

There’s comfort in that – to believe that someone had this in mind and that there’s a reasoning behind it. You can say I’m playing semantics, but I’m not. The view point of one hand against the view point on the other will mean all the difference when situational occurrences, circumstance, or tragedy occur. I can sit around and feel powerless and alone or I can roll with the punches in the face, the kicks in the stomach, and the knees in the groin knowing that it all happens for a reason.

But really, it’s not always that easy - but it's true.