We take risks every day. Sometimes, just stepping off the curb to cross the street is a risk (especially around here where drivers making right turns seem oblivious to pedestrians). But the recent visit of a college student we hosted a few years ago got me thinking about bigger risks, specifically, why some risks are more attractive to me than others. Like climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.
The young woman who visited was excited to do something she’d always wanted to do, but never got around to: paragliding. The paragliding adventure she chose involved jumping off a cliff and soaring over a local beach. I watched her paragliding videos, and I thought it looked fun. Now, I want to paraglide!
My husband, however, thinks paragliding is full of risks and too dangerous. Did I mention he rides a motorcycle? I rode on the teeny tiny back “seat” of his most recent motorcycle – once! One street bump and I caught some air. I’m not riding that motorcycle again. Too risky.
One time, I watched as hang gliders took off over Palm Springs. I really wanted to try hang gliding (I’m beginning to think I have a thing about flying). Then, I heard of a hang gliding friend who got caught in an updraft and taken up so high his fingers started to freeze and he wondered if he would ever touch earth again. Paragliding sounds safer to me.
I’m a scuba diver. I’ve done more than one hundred dives. I’ve been on dives with sharks: safe sharks. I’ve heard scuba diving is like flying under water. Maybe that’s why I like it.
I do a lot of road bicycling, which people tell me is full of risks. I’ve flown over the handlebars, and luckily landed in a bed of ivy. Still, I enjoy bicycling and the benefits are worth the risks to me.
I guess its everyone for themselves when it comes to participating in activities that are full of risks. Anyone want to join me in jumping off a cliff?
