Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft.
Imagine a plane full of smoke.
Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack.
Well, I had a unique seat that day.
I was the only one who could talk to the flight attendants.
So I looked at them right away,
and they said, "No problem. We probably hit some birds."
The pilot had already turned the plane around,
three things happened at the same time.
The pilot lines up the plane with the Hudson River.
(Laughter)
Now, imagine being in a plane with no sound.
The most unemotional three words I've ever heard.
I didn't have to talk to the flight attendant anymore.
(Laughter)
I could see in her eyes, it was terror.
Now I want to share with you three things I learned about myself that day.
I learned that it all changes in an instant.
we have these things we want to do in life,
and I thought about all the people I wanted to reach out to that I didn't,
all the fences I wanted to mend,
all the experiences I wanted to have and I never did.
As I thought about that later on,
which is, "I collect bad wines."
Because if the wine is ready and the person is there, I'm opening it.
I no longer want to postpone anything in life.
And that urgency, that purpose, has really changed my life.
The second thing I learned that day --
and this is as we clear the George Washington Bridge,
(Laughter)
I thought about, wow, I really feel one real regret.
In my own humanity and mistakes,
I've tried to get better at everything I tried.
But in my humanity, I also allow my ego to get in.
And I regretted the time I wasted on things that did not matter
And I thought about my relationship with my wife,
And after, as I reflected on that,
I decided to eliminate negative energy from my life.
It's not perfect, but it's a lot better.
I've not had a fight with my wife in two years.
and this is as your mental clock starts going, "15, 14, 13."
I don't want this thing to break in 20 pieces
like you've seen in those documentaries.
I had a sense of, wow, dying is not scary.
It's almost like we've been preparing for it our whole lives.
I didn't want to go; I love my life.
And that sadness really framed in one thought,
which is, I only wish for one thing.
I only wish I could see my kids grow up.
About a month later, I was at a performance by my daughter --
first-grader, not much artistic talent --
(Laughter)
Yet!
(Laughter)
And I'm bawling, I'm crying, like a little kid.
And it made all the sense in the world to me.
I realized at that point, by connecting those two dots,
that the only thing that matters in my life
the only goal I have in life is to be a good dad.
I was given the gift of a miracle,
which was to be able to see into the future
I challenge you guys that are flying today,
imagine the same thing happens on your plane --
but imagine, and how would you change?
that you're waiting to get done because you think you'll be here forever?
How would you change your relationships
and the negative energy in them?
And more than anything, are you being the best parent you can?
(Applause)