Dear all,
Last month I watched as two planes made a parallel approach into San Francisco International Airport. Since then, the FAA has banned such approaches, citing the very real risks—those runways are simply too close together for today’s levels of congestion.
Which means what I witnessed was not just impressive. It was precarious.
It was a choreography of trust, precision, and constant communication—pilots and tower moving in perfect coordination, aware that even the smallest misstep could have consequences.
I found myself in awe. Not just of the planes, but of everything we don’t see—the thousands of tiny adjustments, the quiet expertise, the unseen voices guiding everything safely to the ground.
And it made me think about our own lives.
In our work, our relationships, our families—we’re quick to notice when things fall apart. When communication breaks down. When someone misses a step.
But how often do we stop and recognize the opposite?
How often do we pause and say: “this is working because people are showing up, paying attention, adjusting for one another”?
Because just like those planes, the moments when our lives are “in sync” are not accidental. They are built on trust, on effort, on people who are quietly helping guide us forward.
Take a moment in time this week to honor the extraordinary coordination when things go right. Reach out to someone who has been part of that unseen choreography in your life and let them know you see them.
With love and Shalom,
Rabbi Zachary R. Shapiro
