As I have been thinking about what I could share here this week I am beginning to realize that I have lived a very unexciting life. I suppose the things that some might consider "gutsy" have been done out of necessity not because of courage or adventure so I don't think of them in that (gutsy) context. Oh and don't misunderstand my meaning, we are not talking about anything like a first responder running toward an emergent situation or someone in the military reacting to a developing situation in a battle for life and liberty. I am talking about the daily grind we all experience were we occasionally find uncomfortable situations that require more effort and commitment than normal. For example; allowing someone whom I had only recently met to split open my chest and stop my heart so repair could be made that would allow a more full and energetic life. Some might call that gutsy - I call it unnerving, fear inducing, and life enhancing. Gutsy? Not so much.What is the gutsiest thing you've ever done? One serious, one funny.
Gutsy is defined by many as "marked by courage or daring; plucky, or robust and uninhibited; lusty. Not sure anything in my life can be defined as plucky or lusty. I think those who do gutsy things like climbing mountains, or jumping out of airplanes, or entering into burning, or collapsed buildings are amazing men and women. I don't see myself as being like them in any way. Could I be? Perhaps. I have always chosen not to follow those paths and have rarely found myself in situations where I did not have time to carefully consider all the options and make an informed decision. A good friend of my son Adam, (they met in the Marine Corps) calls this living a charmed life (Thanks Matt Thorne).
One exception; I was driving across Oxford Ave in the Denver, Colorado area with several other men riding with me. We were heading west and noticed a new Corvette turning in front of us into a large open space area. The driver punched it and accelerated very quickly to a speed beyond his ability to manage and the car slid beneath a thick cable that had been suspended between two heavy posts, thus limiting traffic access. The cable sheared off the A pillar on both the driver and passenger side of the vehicle and stopped the car. I looked at my companions and saw my thoughts reflected in their eyes; "what are we going to find when we get there?" I reached for the radio in the truck cab near my right knee and called our dispatcher to get emergency equipment headed toward the accident and we turned to see what we could do to help. Was that gutsy? Some would say yes, I would say that it was a normal reaction by any thinking caring man or woman. I remember being filled with fear and dread for what we would find upon arriving at the scene. We pulled up, jumped out of the truck, ran to the car, and found three young men (probably 17 or 18 years old), with the driver and front seat passenger pinned in their seats by the two inch diameter cable - without a scratch on either of them. My co-workers and I were able to pry the cable forward to allow the boys to get out of the vehicle and though they were shaken up they did not appear to be injured. Gutsy? I suppose it was. But really we had no choice but to assist in whatever way we could. By the way, the decision to help in any similar circumstance had been made years previous so I was compelled by that commitment to follow through. We did not need to decide in the moment. We just needed to act.
Confucius is attributed with saying, "Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage."
John Wayne is quoted as saying much the same thing, "Courage is being scared to death ... and saddling up anyway."
When this topic was proposed for our consideration Stefanie suggested we choose something serious and something humorous. I am at a loss as to what might be shared here that is funny and gutsy. It was hard enough to come up with something serious. If an example comes to mind in the near future I will amend this post.
That is all for now. Thanks for checking in. Be back soon.
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