Doing stuff, talking about stuff and reading about stuff. Most of my friends do stuff. Most also talk about stuff and read about stuff, but they also are ‘doers’. At times, some of the stuff that they do has a certain amount of risk. It is risk that has me thinking about what I do.
I am not one of those guys that lives on adrenaline, or tries to live on the edge. Hell, I am a 60 year old insurance rascal (yeeehaaaa). I have no desire to hurt myself, no desire to hurt anyone else and I live a pretty boring existence.
However, life without some sort of excitement takes on a black and white appearance whereas a little excitement turns life into colour. Excitement for me involves a little risk - but risk that I have accessed and am comfortable with. I think I am objective when consider risk and make objective judgement. I have always wanted to fly small airplanes and some years back I started taking pilot lessons. After a few lessons I realized I did not have what it takes to be a pilot and I stopped. I had the potential of killing myself or someone else - not good.
I still love to fly. A few years ago there was an ultra-light gypsy pilot in the neighbourhood selling rides. I watched him for a few weeks and could see he was a damn good pilot. So I flew with him. I had every orifice puckered, but oh dear, I still grin at the memory. A good friend flies a hot air balloon. I will fly with him any time any place. A little risk perhaps, but he is someone that I trust and he is as concerned about his own safety as I am concerned about mine. I ride a motorcycle - sometimes at imprudent speeds - but always with a thought to the potential of hurting someone else, and always with an awareness of what I am doing.
I still want to sky dive, and I may yet. Most likely not - but I can still think about it. I do not want to bungee jump.