Mortality and Adventure

For the last week or two there has been a singular thought that has reoccurred throughout my day. It started after Wade, one of the guys we were mountain biking with, crashed and was seriously injured. After that accident I have been contemplating the risk of the things I do and how they could affect me or my loved ones if I was hurt. It has really just been a thought in the back of head that jumps to the forefront of my mind throughout my day. This all became very real yesterday afternoon when I was biking down Rattlesnake Gulch. This particular trail is severely steep and pretty technical. Lots of big rocks, logs, and loose rock. I had passed most of the very technical stuff and was coming around a corner a little fast and wasn't able to make the turn. This is a single track trail on the side of a mountain. There was no where to go, but down. My front tire slipped off the trail and all I could think of was hoping I didn't fall too far down the mountain. The trees and shrubs of course grabbed the bike and my momentum threw me forward over the handle bars. I don't remember anything else accept when I was stopped and became aware of where I was was. I was ten feet or so below the trail and braised up against a tree. Somehow I landed very easily and was only a little scraped up. I had to climb up the hill and go back to drag my bike up to the trail. I had to check myself and my bike to make sure I could continue down the hill. I sat there for a moment collecting myself and thanking God that I was OK and not hurt. All of the possibilities flooded my mind and made me even more grateful I was walking away with only a few scratches, some shaken nerves and a lot of dust. 

Today I was reading the New York Times and came across an article that really struck home with me. It was about a mountaineer who had died on Denali and the reaction of the news to other people. The author wrote about immediately wondering what mistake the climber had made. But as the author later writes, "Death can come from crossing the street, or eating a tomato." Accidents happen. Of course, accidents can happen because of stupid human mistakes, but also they just happen. You can't control them. As the author of this article wrote death can come from anywhere and anything. You can let the worry intimidate you into inaction and think that sitting on your couch will keep you safe, but what kind of life would that be? There is risk in all that we do. You don't need to take any unnecessary risks to enjoy life, but doing things you love to do with a calculated risk makes life worth living. One shouldn't have to live in fear of things that could happen. If that was the case none of us would leave our homes. Try to be smart in your risks and accept what life may throw your way. We only have one life, so cherish the people and things that are important to you and live life like you mean it.