I never had a desire to join the military or be a cop, or be a fireman. Never. Besides my lifelong adversity to following rules, there was the whole “risk your life” thing. Below are a few seconds of video that reminded me about my life choices, and the choices of others.
Thrills are great… if you know you are relatively safe. All the surfers on the lake today know they are safe. Wetsuit and board strapped to their ankles… they will be fine. Same with the kite surfer near the pier.
Fun. As long as you are safe. When I was in elementary school my brother and his wife took me to a small amusement park. They put me on a ride called “The Wild Mouse”. Alone, in an open car with no seatbelts, the ride up and down, then abrupt turns, slamming sideways. I held onto the railings and screamed. My brother laughed. At the end of the ride I loudly exclaimed the ride was dangerous and I could have been killed. A few days later… someone did die… tossed from the ride when they couldn’t hold on.
Even with seatbelts now added… rollercoasters still bother me.
Meanwhile today, while watching the surfers and kiteboarder… out came our Coast Guard. With the wind and waves up, it was time for a little training. Just training. They see much, much more danger routinely. As do other branches of the military. And cops, and firemen.
Much braver than me.