A body found off the coast of Brazil was recently identified as that of the flying-balloon-man priest, the Rev. Adelir Antonio de Carli.
While this ending was expected, with such a long time passing since the man was last heard from, I still find it sad and slightly depressing. So instead of lingering on that, I’d like to turn to something more positive, namely, what did we learn from these events?
There are several possible lessons. Should we learn that balloon take-offs, even with careful preparation, are dangerous? Probably. Should we refrain therefore from this and other ridiculous practices just due to potential danger? I should hope not. This man had a sense of joy, and a sense of responsibility. I hope that those of us still living would be able to combine both as effectively.
Water Ouzel 
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