Daredevil or Whackadoodle?

I'm a nervous wreck after just watching the 20 all time daredevil stunts on T.V.  This was the prelude to Nik Wallenda's tightrope walk across Niagara Falls but, even though I'm worried about him, at least he will be tethered to the rope and there's little danger of him actually falling to his death.  At least I hope not.


Mountain climbers, rock climbers, deep sea divers, motorcycle jumpers...I have no idea how they can take such unbelievable chances with their lives.  Whatever it is that makes them different from most of us, I simply can't identify with it.  Children often do dangerous things but that's mainly from their ignorance of potentially harmful outcomes.  Adults who make their living performing death defying stunts absolutely confound me.


I seldom, maybe never, take chances of any kind because I'm scared to death of being incapacitated.  I do remember taking silly chances when I was a teenager (stupidity), and a few when I was in my twenties or thirties (total stupidity because I realized by then that I was truly endangering myself).  It doesn't make sense to me to take a chance with your wellbeing so I guess that makes me a wuss.  Don't care!!  I am what I am.


I'm going to be glued to the T.V. this evening to watch Wallenda and I'll be hoping he makes it safely.  Unfortunately, the water and the winds will cause his rope to move an undetermined amount so I'm not sure he'll succeed.  I am ever so happy that he reluctantly agreed to be tethered to it because, if I knew he was going to be up there with nothing to save him, I couldn't have watched.  Donna said it would be more exciting if he wasn't tethered but maybe she's more of a daredevil than I am.  I guess everybody is.


Don't get me wrong.  I admire people who eagerly go to the edge and beyond but I don't understand them.  It's possible that their "fear" response is hampered and if it wasn't for their extreme skills they would have died a long time ago.  Nik Wallenda comes from a family tradition of tightrope walking so he's inherited a great talent to go along with what must have been a lifetime of training.  I hope he steps off that rope at the end of his stunt, smiling and thrilled with his accomplishment...but I'll never understand why in the world he wanted to do it in the first place.


Note:  Well, he made it...and I'm emotionally drained from the experience.  I fortified myself with a hefty gin and tonic but my hands were sweaty from nerves as I watched him.  We could hear him carrying on conversations as he plodded along and it about drove me crazy wishing he'd shut up and concentrate on the walk.  Near the end, we heard him thanking Jesus so we know his faith also gave him strength and courage.   His face was so calm the whole time and, heaven help us, he actually ran the last few feet and that's when I almost lost it.  Nik Wallenda performed the next to impossible tonight and, if nothing else, he proved that man's abilities soar much higher than most of us ever thought they could.  What a man!  What a talent!