I think all of us have them, we just may not know it. As a child I thought I challenged boundaries and survived to tell the tales. As a little kid I walked off the dock at a lake in Michigan. The water was over my head. I stood on the sand and looked up and saw the sun. I didn’t swim. Dad ran out on the dock and pulled me out. Savior.
When my brother was 16 I had him come visit for his birthday. We went up into the Adirondacks at 3:00 a.m. and donned wet wetsuits for 40 degree water and went down Class V rapids.
We hit a rock and I was bumped out of the raft and immediately placed my feet downstream and my paddle across my chest. After they rescued me, we got into an eddy and were all almost sucked under. Of course my brother was now in another raft.
I was cool as a cucumber and didn’t think anything of it until I heard the guides, 20 minutes later as we were safely ensconced on an island for lunch and the best chicken broth I’ve ever eaten, that by rescuing me we all almost died.
It was then my entire body started shaking and I realized what peril I placed us in. The afternoon was warm and sunny and we all dried out and paddled some calm waters before a steak and baked potato feast. All in all, I think my brother had a memorable birthday. I had a savior and don’t even know his name.
We do not live a life of danger, cliff-climbing, mountaineering. But things happen every day that change our lives and some leave. I mean leave life because of scary things, and choose to take their own, sometimes taking others.
We will never do that. We will fight for our family and probably not go into Class V rapids again, though we did do Class IV a few years ago together with a guide. Luckily we didn’t bring the dog and the guide did most of the paddling. The river we were on usually takes 5 hours to traverse. Our trip took two. That’s how fast the water was.
Cheers and y’all have a great day and think about the teachers, mentors, parents and others who’ve saved you. Dee
Cooking with Dee 