Jackie Pflug was a passenger on EgyptAir Flight 648, which left Athens on Thanksgiving weekend 1985. The plane was hijacked and she was the fifth passenger who was shot in the head and thrown down the stairs onto the tarmac by hijackers who were trying to get their demands met.
"Tragedy catapults you into another way of thinking. Before the hijacking I did not keep commitments and only did things that I wanted to do. I was thirty years old when it happened and thought that life was about friends, laughs, and having the right car and clothes. I was off visiting one country after another by myself. Now I want to be with people and loved ones. My adventurous spirit has never died but I do not need it to make me happy. If you ask my parents or friends, they would say they see me as the “old Jackie,” but I think my integrity has changed a lot for the better.
Now I ask myself before I go to sleep: “Did I live with integrity today, did I laugh and smile a lot, talk to someone I did not know, and did I move closer to my goals?” Each night I write down five things that I am grateful for. I constantly tell people how much I love them, and I try to resolve disputes before traveling. Now, when I fly, I can honestly say I have no regrets. I look back at the hijacking as a wakeup call to pay more attention to what life is all about.
Today, when I think back to my out of body experience in Malta, I remember the beauty and peacefulness of it and I am comforted that loved ones ahead of us are all OK.
People’s perceptions of difficult times vary. They could range from cancer or debts to divorce. An obstacle that leaves you devastated may be something I just brush off. Whatever the situation, never give up and get the help you need along the way.
Look around to see who you perceive as strong and follow them. Do what they do. If you want to be fit, go to the person who is fit and ask them what they do every day and then follow their advice. If you want to be at peace with yourself, then follow a person with strong faith, and rely on your faith."
Jackie is a motivational speaker and now tours the country. Provided by: www.survivingadversity.com
