Everything in life has an element of danger. Walking across the street can be dangerous in the right circumstances.
In the list of dangerous pursuits, walking across the street might be considered a “1”. Swimming through shark infested water a ’10’. Whitewater rafting might be a 6 – 7 depending on conditions.
Our men’s group decided to take our teen daughters out for a 2 day whitewater rafting trip. We chose the lower Kern river as it was a little calmer than the other option.
Our guides were very diligent about the instructions they gave us for commanding the raft. They told us where to sit. How to paddle through various currents. Which areas to avoid. But the most important lesson they gave us was how to react if you fell overboard.
In addition to explaining how to keep our head up and feet in front of us, he also said, “If you fall overboard, you must be an active participant in your own rescue!”
About 1/2 way through the first day we had a tip over and 6 girls were in the water swimming, scared to death but confident after having been instructed on how to act. Everybody was OK and we continued the trip.
When we get “instructions” on how to live our life, we should pay attention and strive to follow them. They have been shared for a good reason. Pay attention to those instructions that will make your life better. And, if you ever get in a jam, remember that YOU must be an active participant in your own rescue!