The moment

I believe that each of us are on this earth to face our moment - when we have the choice to act or not, to do or not do, and in doing what is required, to do the right thing.  We don't  know when the moment will arrive or what it will be, but when it happens it seems as if the universe is holding its breath for a moment to see what we will do.   The Marine who threw himself on a live grenade in Iraq to save his fellow Marines instead of throwing himself backwards to safety faced the his moment.  Rosa Parks faced her moment when she could have sat at the back of the bus again but instead felt the moment on her and made her choice.  Charles Lightoller, second officer of the Titanic in a life of high adventure before and after the Titanic's sinking had his moment when he did what was required to get women and children into lifeboats and away from the sinking ship.  Our moment can be as small as not letting the class outcast be bullied by a thug at school when it would be easier to turn away or standing up for someone at work who is helpless before an abusive superior.  Frequently we may have our moment and do what is required and not even realize that we have met our moment and succeeded.  But those who are positively effected by our meeting the moment and succeeding know that we did what was required.

I thought of this this week when I read of the captain of the cruise ship Concordia and his cowardliness on the night of his ship's distress.  I am sure he is a competent ship's master, adroit at making the guests on the ship feel welcome, and insured a smooth running enterprise on each cruise.  He started his last day as the captain of his ship not knowing what lay ahead and that his moment would come for him that day.  But when his moment came and the universe held its breath for the captain to decide to stay or flee; he fled.  His moment came and passed without doing what was required.  He failed the moment that he was on earth to meet.

If I have yet to face my moment I pray that I will have the wisdom and courage to do what is required.