RE: [Paddlewise] Unreasonable fear

I'm in agreement with the other postings in response to Bill's experience,
but I'd like to add one more thing. I think it's very important for people
to listen to their fear because it's an important survival mechanism; i.e.,
often our fear is really listening to intuition or that still, small voice.
Sometimes we can discount our fear as duplicating fears from our past, or
post-traumatic syndrome, etc.  But all too often by not listening and
dealing with whatever the problem is, because it's unpopular or seemingly
unreasonable, what could have been avoided can  quickly becomes a real
tragedy. 

Neysa Narena

<snip>
>All during the return trip I kept actually softly pleading a prayer aloud
that
I would make it back safe.The odd thing about all this is that I knew in my
mind that I was in no real
danger... We had practiced all the techniques, wet exit, single recovery,
dual
rescue, etc. I am a very strong swimmer, and I also felt comfortable with
the
training I had received. I was just gripped with an unreasonable fear that I
couldn't overcome. In the past 28 hours I've had a lot of time to reflect
upon that frightening
ordeal. I know that I will soon get back into a kayak... but one I'm
familiar
and comfortable with. I know I will return to exactly the same place, and I
know I will get beyond this. I merely wanted to comment on how quickly you
can
get in over your head if you let your thoughts run away with you. Perhaps
this isn't much of a story, but somehow I felt the need to relate it.
Maybe someday, sometime, remembering these few paragraphs will help someone
else to come to grips with senseless fear.
>


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