Jack and I left the Guest House in Libreville this morning and took a flight on the mission plane down to Bongolo this afternoon. It was good to get settled in and meet new friends while reacquainting with old friends. We had a wonderful dinner with the Thelanders followed by some much needed rest ahead of a busy week.
After we boarded the small, single engine plane and prior to take-off, the pilot ran through his checklist making sure the equipment was functioning and we were safe to travel to Bongolo. I am sure he has done this checklist many, many times yet I could tell he took each step seriously and was not skipping any of them. In my world of anesthesia we also have similar checklists, making sure our equipment is properly functioning and that we have all the various drugs and backup supplies needed in case of emergency. While the pilot's checklist is more robust (probably because he is getting on the plane), the similarities are there. It may seem ridiculous at times to go thru these checklists as it rarely uncovers a problem, but they are necessary to avoid serious events. It's like getting back to the basics for each flight or each case.
I wonder what life would be like if each of us ran through a mental checklist in the morning prior to heading out for the day. We may be able to handle better the "stuff" that life throws at us. Part of my morning checklist is spending time in prayer and reading my Bible. Helps me get focused. What's on yours?
