Is It My Birthday Or What?
by Linda Larsen, CSP
© Copyright 2000

I was fully prepared for an outstanding conference. I was not, however, prepared for the emotional impact of one specific experience within the conference.

As a faculty member for eWomennetwork, I gave a brief presentation at their annual conference recently in Dallas. My main focus, however, was to meet as many of our members as possible and discover how we could all mutually support each other. I remember it seemed that every time I turned around, someone was giving me a gift. And the gifts came in all shapes and sizes.

I must say that I was almost overwhelmed with all the possibilities I saw and experienced. I came back with dynamic new friends, business contacts and extremely useful information. I learned tremendous networking ideas from the Mingling Maven herself - Susan RoAne (How to Work a Room.) I got fabulous ideas and almost fell off my chair laughing at Mimi Donaldson (Negotiating For Dummies). I thoroughly enjoyed Connie Glaser (Swim with the Dolphins) and all the other exceptionally talented speakers. As everyone spoke, I kept feeling again like another gift had just been placed in front of me.

And then - there was Jackie.

Jackie Nink Pflug. You may or may not remember her name, but I'll bet you remember her story. She was on Egypt Air Flight 648 on Thanksgiving weekend, 1985 when it was hijacked shortly after takeoff and diverted to the Island of Malta. Millions of us watched in abject horror as passengers were executed and thrown from the plane when the hijackers' demands were not met. Jackie was one of those unfortunate passengers.

She was shot in the head at point blank range, literally thrown out of plane onto the tarmac and left for dead. For five hideously long hours she lay on the concrete drifting in and out of consciousness. Her horrifying experience and the courage she demonstrated during the entire event were almost unbelievable.

But two things about Jackie and her experience impacted me tremendously.

First of all - I instantly loved Jackie. She's just one of those wonderful women that you want to be one of your best friends. She's funny and bright and extremely kind. What she endured during that unbearable tragedy and her long, arduous, painful journey back to health took courage, cunning and wisdom - all of which she embodies with a kind of grace and ease.

And -there's the really profound awareness that I left with. How many times have I complained about things that are unfair or unjust? How often have I felt taken advantage of or overwhelmed or stressed out? How frequently do I complain that I have such a hard, tiring schedule? Oh, please. I am willing to wager that if she had had an option, Jackie Pflug would have traded places with me in an absolute nanosecond!

And yes, in my book True Power I write about my experience of being kidnapped, raped and held hostage for five hours. I won't minimize that experience. It was indeed terrifying. But I wasn't shot, for crying out loud! I didn't suffer a head injury, resultant epilepsy, vision impairment and a plethora of other physical problems. In comparison, my experience seems somewhat pale and quite manageable.

My friends, let us please put the unhappy, unwanted experiences of our lives in a more empowering perspective. However bad things may seem - why not take a moment to think about Jackie? Yes, she had to deal with the trauma to her body, her mind and her life. And yes, it was extremely difficult. But the bottom line is that no matter how painful her journey - she did not give up. She not only survived - she flourished and exceeded everyone's expectations for recovery.

And today she continually inspires others with her story. She reminds us that we possess the exact same strength and tenacity that she has. She shines as a powerful example of what we are all capable of. She is an amazing, amazing woman.

Jackie is the gift I will keep in my heart forever.

Word count: 691

Tag line: Linda Larsen, CSP, helps individuals think strategically, communicate effectively, and celebrate success. She is an international keynote speaker, trial consultant and author of the book, True Power, and the best selling audio program, 12 Secrets to High Self-Esteem. She can be reached at www.lindalarsen.com or 941-927-4700.

 

Articles Menu / Next Article / Previous Article