Taking Risks

I had little choice but to drive myself through the unpredictable snow storm on October 29, 2011. I’d always remarked, “I don’t do snow,” meaning I certainly don’t drive in the falling white stuff, and whenever possible I don’t leave the house on foot or on skis. (I follow the example of the squirrels who hole up in the tree tops and assume-“This too shall pass.”) But unpredictable weather falls upon us more often than we like to think. Especially in our country where the science of weather forecasting has not been  perfected. (One advantage of traveling this past June: I learned the Germans can forecast the weather!). In any case the choice was to pull into the crowded dismal parking lot off Rt. 95 in Jersey and wait an indefinite time, until either 1. The snow stopped falling or 2. I mustered up courage to continue.

I chose what felt like the foolhardy approach: to persist through the blinding white stuff while attempting  to quell my near panic.“Follow the tail lights,” became my mantra and guided me  within the white lines of  the lane. So grateful to the other stalwart drivers with good vision who kept their cool, I developed a new respect for humanity, and an awareness that I am more capable than I thought.

The question is: When do we take the Risk? Certainly I could have crashed, and then the risk would have been regarded as foolhardy. Instead I recognized courage in myself.

Decision making is tricky, another peril of the human condition which can only be avoided if we decide to stay in bed for the rest of our lives. Actually, even this can be dangerous, because we depend on someone else to take care of us, and they could botch up the job; witness Andy Warhol’s death in the care of a special duty nurse after his surgery who administered too much intravenous fluid,  over-hydrating  and killing her famous patient! (The surgery was a success but the patient died!)

In brief, we can not avoid risk taking. Nor can we always collect others’ opinions to help us reach a decision. Ultimately we’re on our own (and also at someone else’s mercy) and can only do our best and hope the other person (s) will too).

(In a situation of Chance, I’m comforted by prayer, but that too is an individual matter.)

Dear Reader: I welcome your comments. (jsimon145@gmail.com)