Monday, December 6, 2010

Fear and Safety

NuzMuz had an entry a few days ago about her neighbor who was injured in a freak accident by a horse. Apparently the horse bumped the woman so that she hit her head, passed out and woke up in the hospital. Her recovery hasn't been fast nor easy. My initial reaction was to think that maybe I should start wearing my helmet every time I'm near a horse. Then I remembered Pioneer Woman's blog and her four young kids riding the range wearing cowboy hats, baseball caps or nothing at all. They also work cattle in chutes in extremely close quarters, sans protective gear. Does that make PW a bad/uncaring mother? I don't think so.

I'm 58. I rode in cars before seat belts were invented. We rode our bikes and roller skated without the benefit of helmets or knee/elbow pads. Most of us survived. How much fun was it to sit on the tailgate of a truck or station wagon as it drove down a deserted road? Are today's kids allowed to climb trees or is that too dangerous?

I don't believe that there is a right or wrong answer to personal safety. I think we all have our individual comfort levels for risk taking and something I might not consider hazardous would give a more cautious person hives.

I believe to a certain degree in fate and that what happens is God's will. As such, I will continue to take what I believe are sensible precautions but not get carried away trying to keep myself from injury or death. Life is for the living and not the cocooned.

1 comment:

  1. Well you summed it up pretty much for me!! There has to be a balance in all of this protection.

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