My son, Jack, and I were recently discussing going whitewater rafting. He had seen a family going down some rapids on TV and jumped up with excitement yelling, “Man, that looks awesome.” And then he got quiet and followed up with, “But, is it dangerous?”
Much like our own lives we first get excited about something telling ourselves it is possible and then decide later that it’s not.
It got me thinking about the great dangers in life and how our choices define who we are as people.
I talked to him about how all things in life have risks and reward, but the bigger question is what will the experience teach us? What will happen once we get on the other side of those rapids?
And it relates to going your own way.
I heard a whitewater guide once say, “If you fall out of this boat, I will do everything I can that is humanely possible to save you. But, the one thing I will ask you to do is to become an active participant in your own rescue.”
Yes – an active participant in your own rescue.
Somehow through the conveniences and distractions of life this practice has been lost along the way.
And as soon as you acknowledge that the only person who can save you is you, you can start going your own way.