Follow Your Intuition

I feel very strongly about following your intuition because it's all of your senses working to tell you something, maybe something you can't pinpoint.

A family in Florida took their boat out in rough water when they shouldn't have. 6 of the 7 passengers survived when the boat was overturned by a rogue wave. Now, the owner of the boat should have been experienced enough to know the water was too rough but so should some of his passengers. Common sense should have existed somewhere in that group.

We've had a few people drown in our bay when boaters chose to take the chance when common sense (and even weather reporters) told them it wasn't safe. Funny, but the people who drown are usually passengers on the boat and not the operator.

We once got on a very small fishing boat (I don't know how anything that small could be called a fishing boat, though) and headed out into the ocean to an island. I was terrified when I saw the size of the boat we were about to board but felt forced to go along with everyone else. It was to be a day trip to visit the family of in-laws (Gerald and Barb) and the boat captain was Barb's father.

Anyway, we clambered onto the boat and set out, me frightened the whole way knowing it wasn't safe. Well, the boat did capsize just as we got to the island but we were against massive rocks and the waves kept slamming the boat into them. The men on the boat worked to upright it and I, a non swimmer, managed to cling to the rocks just as the boat hit somewhere around me. If it had hit me I would have been crushed but luck was with me.

We met some memorable people that day but in the back of my mind was the thought that we had to get back on the boat in order to go home. I have no memory of the return trip at all so I must have zoned out in terror. We obviously made it home but I know I should have followed my instincts and refused to board in the first place. It was just by chance that the boat didn't capsize in deep water and that no-one drowned.

I think we're all fitted with radar to protect us but too often we choose to ignore the signals. My radar is relentless and often zings inside my head so loudly that I can't think. Almost every time, I heed it and the times I haven't later turned out to be dangerous ones.

Your instincts and your intuition are there for a good purpose so it's best to pay close attention to them.