Up, Up and Away

When I heard Ralph was going on a hot air balloon ride for his birthday, I said, that sounds more like Linda. Turns out I was right. Ralph doesn't like heights. Linda is an emergency room nurse who apparently never needs a break from drama. So Ralph gets the birthday present she chooses.
I'm not a thrill seeker. I prefer cerebral adventures like seeing new things or hearing about new ideas. If something induces fear, I pay attention and avoid it. I know that a lot of people have a mantra of 'face your fear' but I would like to point out that fear is a survival technique to lead you away from danger. Avoiding fear is the wise path.
I remember the moment I understood what a black hole is. It was an introductory astronomy class. The professor wrote the formula for escape velocity on the board, then asked what would happen if the necessary velocity to escape a gravitational pull exceeded the speed of light? The implication took my breath away.
On the other hand, after a carnival ride or other physical trauma I walk away with the question of why would anyone think that was fun?
Riding in a hot air balloon isn't that dangerous. The thrill comes from looking down with nothing between you and the ground that flushes your brain with fear chemicals. The way I see it, Linda is giving Ralph the gift of fear for his birthday.
Nancy Sherer