Ain’t That A VHIT
By Von C. Howard
One of the greatest lessons I’m continuously learning, daily, is this: you can’t stay in the air forever.
I’ve been doing quite a bit of traveling lately, and this thought came to me shortly after takeoff. There’s always that moment of excitement, the plane lifts, you ascend into higher heights, and your focus shifts to the destination. But even in that excitement, there’s a quiet awareness… you’re still going to have to land. And you don’t always know if that landing will be smooth, a little bumpy, or, in the worst case, unsettling.
That realization hit me, that’s exactly how life works.
Life has a way of signaling when a season is shifting. The calls slow down. The calendar opens up. A role changes. A relationship evolves. Something that once felt certain begins to feel different. And in those moments, I’m learning to recognize what life is saying: “Prepare for landing.”
I didn’t always see it that way. I used to think the goal was to keep climbing, to stay in motion, and to hold onto every opportunity as long as possible. But I’m learning that every high season comes with a necessary descent, and that descent isn’t failure, it’s transition.
Landing is not loss, it’s movement.
Some seasons are assignments, not destinations. Just because something is ending doesn’t mean it didn’t serve its purpose. It simply means it has completed it.
I’m also learning to prepare emotionally for the descent. You can’t celebrate the highs and ignore the feelings that come with coming down. If I don’t process my transitions, they will process me. So, I’ve learned to sit with it, acknowledge it, and allow myself to adjust.
I’ve learned to pay attention to the signs. Sometimes the shift isn’t loud, it’s subtle. My energy changes. My passion feels different. What once excited me starts to feel routine. Those aren’t random feelings; they’re indicators that something is preparing to move.
And I’m learning that rest is part of the assignment. There were times I tried to go from one “flight” to another without pause, and it showed. Now I understand that landing is where recovery happens. You can’t take off again if you never allow yourself to properly come down.
So, when it’s time, I remind myself to prepare.
Just like on a flight, I have to put my chair in the upright position, secure my tray table in front of me, and fasten my seatbelt. In life, that means getting my mind right, steadying my emotions, and grounding myself in what matters most.
Because not all landings will be smooth, but they don’t have to be catastrophic. Some will shake you. Some will come without warning. But if you stay grounded, you can withstand the impact and still move forward.
What I’m learning, every single day, is that sometimes you have to land one plane to prepare for a greater takeoff. Landing creates room. It clears the runway for something higher and more aligned with where you’re headed.
I haven’t mastered this, but I’m growing through it.
And if this lesson, I’m learning can help someone else prepare for their own descent, then it serves a purpose beyond me.
So, when things begin to slow down or shift, I remind myself, I’m not stuck.
I’m descending.
And if I prepare for it, that landing won’t be the end of my journey… it will be the setup for what’s next.
And if I embrace the lesson, I’ll realize that the same God who taught me how to fly… also knows exactly where I’m meant to land and when I’m ready to take off again.
