<p>On the night of April 14, 1912, the ‘unsinkable’ did the unthinkable! The Titanic descended to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. While many perished, there were several fortunate individuals who came close to joining them but, for one reason or another, were not aboard the luxury liner.</p>.<p>They included these famous few: novelist Theodore Dreiser, inventor Guglielmo Marconi, financier J. Pierpoint Morgan, multimillionaire Alfred Vanderbilt and Milton Hershey, founder of the chocolate company that bears his name. Not so renowned is John Raleigh Mott. That popular preacher was offered free passage on the Titanic but chose to travel by the less ostentatious SS Lapland. When Mott heard what had happened to the Titanic, he apparently remarked to his colleague: ‘The Good Lord must have more work for us to do.’</p>.<p>During World War I, Mott served with the Allied armies and prisoners of war in Europe. He was awarded France’s Legion of Honour and America’s Distinguished Service Medal. In 1946, Mott was one of two recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize. He died at the age of 89, nearly forty-three years after the Titanic tragedy. Mott’s story will always be linked to that of the ill-fated ship.</p>.<p>All of us may not have had such publicised escapes, but we can probably recall occasions when we narrowly steered clear of death or disaster. We could have missed being hit by a vehicle while walking or swerved to avoid a collision while driving. Perhaps, when recovery hung in the balance, we survived a serious illness.</p>.<p>Such alarming experiences remind us that our time on earth can be cut short abruptly and is therefore too precious to waste. Actually, we should not need a dramatic deliverance to teach us that lesson. Just waking up each morning is a blessing. We are granted a new lease of life to use wisely and well. Day after day, as John Mott might say, we are preserved for a purpose.</p>
<p>On the night of April 14, 1912, the ‘unsinkable’ did the unthinkable! The Titanic descended to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. While many perished, there were several fortunate individuals who came close to joining them but, for one reason or another, were not aboard the luxury liner.</p>.<p>They included these famous few: novelist Theodore Dreiser, inventor Guglielmo Marconi, financier J. Pierpoint Morgan, multimillionaire Alfred Vanderbilt and Milton Hershey, founder of the chocolate company that bears his name. Not so renowned is John Raleigh Mott. That popular preacher was offered free passage on the Titanic but chose to travel by the less ostentatious SS Lapland. When Mott heard what had happened to the Titanic, he apparently remarked to his colleague: ‘The Good Lord must have more work for us to do.’</p>.<p>During World War I, Mott served with the Allied armies and prisoners of war in Europe. He was awarded France’s Legion of Honour and America’s Distinguished Service Medal. In 1946, Mott was one of two recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize. He died at the age of 89, nearly forty-three years after the Titanic tragedy. Mott’s story will always be linked to that of the ill-fated ship.</p>.<p>All of us may not have had such publicised escapes, but we can probably recall occasions when we narrowly steered clear of death or disaster. We could have missed being hit by a vehicle while walking or swerved to avoid a collision while driving. Perhaps, when recovery hung in the balance, we survived a serious illness.</p>.<p>Such alarming experiences remind us that our time on earth can be cut short abruptly and is therefore too precious to waste. Actually, we should not need a dramatic deliverance to teach us that lesson. Just waking up each morning is a blessing. We are granted a new lease of life to use wisely and well. Day after day, as John Mott might say, we are preserved for a purpose.</p>