[at-l] Parenting, Holmes, and measuring life

[spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

Sir Toe wrote:
>### "Irresponsible" to say 'irresponsible'? I'd have to agree.
>All who've commented negatively have nothing close to this man's
>experience. It's as if they didn't even read the article
>provided. How dare any measure Holmes' "responsibility" without
>knowing him?

I find little, if anything, that I wouldn't agree with in what Toey wrote 
here.  Ginny and I are supposedly experienced hikers - and yet, we've both 
found ourselves in situations where hypothermia has "tapped us on the 
shoulder" as Toey puts it.  We've both taken falls that could have killed or 
crippled us.  We've both found ourselves in more than one life-threatening 
situation on the trail.  So - are we "irresponsible"?  Really?  If you 
believe that, if you believe "safety" is a paramount consideration in life, 
then maybe the trails aren't a place you should go.

One thing that seems to be overlooked in this discussion is that, like some 
others here, I've found myself in more life-threatening situations in my 
"ordinary" life than when I've been hiking - and I've been a LOT closer to 
death in some of those situations.  If I had died when the AIQ's tried to 
hijack my truck - if the ranger had died like that - would either of us have 
been deemed "irresponsible"?  Really?

If he hadn't died as he did - how can anyone be sure that he wouldn't have 
died in an auto accident on the way home?  Is that any better a death than 
what he met?  I've spent the last  - what? - at least 50 years - with death 
riding my left shoulder - with the constant knowledge that every time I walk 
out the door may be my last.  But I still go out that door every day.  Is 
that "irresponsible"?

Oh, yeah - and I've got 3 kids.  And a mess of grandchildren.  But I have 
never and will never allow my children to run my life.  So - am I cold, 
unfeeling, irresponsible, selfish?  Answer - I don't thnk so.  But I am an 
individual, I live my own life, I choose my own path - with the knowledge 
that my life is limited and that in order to live fully I must live it "my" 
way - not to please others.  Not even my children or grandchildren.

Kelly said - " Protecting our country and cities is necessary.  What he did 
was not."

So - who are you to make that judgment?  If I'd died on the CDT - it would 
also have been my choice in being there.  And I'd rather it be by my choice 
like that than at the hands of some random idiot with a gun in downtown 
Phoenix or New York. Or by the lousy judgment of some drunk driver.   So are 
you gonna tell me that it wasn't necessary for me to be on the CDT?  How 
would you know that?

It might not be necessary for you - but then much of what I've done with my 
life wouldn't be necessary for you either, would it?  So how can you judge 
what was necessary  - for him, forToey or for me?

Enuff -  there's another quote that comes to mind -
"There is no triumph without risk.  Never trust a man who thinks there is. "
       Gustavus Adolphus (AD 1632)

Walk softly,
Jim

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