By David Peel
People who have been to my office often comment on the photography that I have done in my travels to every inhabited continent. I have been doing mission trips to various countries for years, and also have traveled strictly for pleasure and learning.
I am always struck by the reactions because they fall into one of three fairly concise groups.
Group 1: says “yes I’ve been there too and wasn’t it beautiful? I hope to go back and I’m also looking forward to going to New Zealand this summer.”
Group 2: these folks say, “I never cared much for traveling. Kind of a homebody, like to stay around the house, tend my garden and take care of the horses.”
Group 3: these folks seem genuinely fascinated by travel, and the idea of it, but immediately are fearful. “Weren’t you afraid on these trips?” “What if something happened while you were over there?” And the one I hear the most, “with all the things going on in the world I just don’t like to travel or fly.” The first two groups seem pretty happy with their station in life. The travelers are traveling and the homebodies are staying home because they don’t feel the need to travel. But group 3, seems to want the experience of traveling but is just suffering from a paralyzing fear. It is not necessarily a fear that the plane is going to crash specifically or that they’re going to be kidnapped by some rogue militia group. It is just kind of a generalized anxiety that I think our 24-hour news cycle seems to feed into. Something could happen. Things happen in the world that we would’ve never even heard about before, and now they are told about and discussed in detail by CNN and Fox News. Statistically, you’re probably in more danger in Memphis, and certainly in Chicago or Baltimore then you are in Bogotá, Columbia or Cairo, Egypt.
Things can go wrong, and things can certainly happen. But sometimes it’s a good idea to do the thing which makes you the most afraid. Life is often waiting on the other side.
Peel seeks justice for those injured in car accidents, medical malpractice, and nursing homes. He often addresses churches, clubs and groups without charge. Peel may be reached through PeelLawFirm.com wherein other articles may be accessed.
