Don't Panic

One of the things you learn eventually if you survive past your 40s and into your 50s is that if you panic you could easily die from a heart attack or stroke. So, you learn to control your emotions more so you don't just freak out and die from a heart attack or stroke or other problems as in a panic attack or something.

There is a story my wife like to tell because she grew up on a Concordia (all wood 40plus foot yacht) on weekends because her parents were sailors so she became one too. She likes to tell the story about how when ships sank down through the centuries it was usually the older sailors (25 or 30) or older who survived these sinkings because they had already had their lives threatened by experiences on so many levels that they just tended to think, "Well. I already survived all those things, maybe I'll survive this too if I just keep my head and don't panic." And sometimes they do survive. And many of the younger men might not because they haven't yet had enough experience with life to know, "Panic will almost certainly cause your death in these kinds of situations."

I remember being 8 years old and getting sucked way out into the ocean on an inflatable raft by a rip tide at Zuma Beach in Southern California. But the problem was I couldn't swim. Yes. I could float on an inflatable raft with my 15 year old female cousin but I couldn't swim. So, as the 5 to 7 foot tall breakers crashed on us as we were slowly sucked out way over the heads of my 15 girl cousin and my two 13 year old male cousins who could swim, we all got pretty scared and thought we might die because soon we were about a 1/4 of a mile out. Soon, 5 or 6 lifeguards came into the water to rescue us before we got sucked out any further. However, they had to coax me off the inflatable raft and to grab a hold of their orange floats that were somewhat cylindrical and about three feet long. But I couldn't swim. I had to really struggle not to panic at every point because I hadn't learned to swim yet. So, as the lifeguards pulled each of us in we had to let go of our inflatable raft because that wasn't going to make it back into shore. I was very frightened especially when the waves crashed on me and slammed me against the bottom of the ocean. This happened at least 10 times coming in. I think the conditions were so difficult even some of the lifeguards could barely tow us to shore. This was one of my earliest lessons in learning how not to panic when you are sure you are going to die. I've never forgotten this lesson and have learned to be incredibly rigid with myself when I need to shut off my panic. So, Don't panic unless a truck is bearing down on you and even then just use your fight or flight response to get out of the way of the truck.

Just remember, most people on earth are scared now. Everyone pretty much who has an adult point of view is scared about what is going on in the world: the weather, the politics, the changes of all sorts, 2012 and religious crazies, terrorists and the like. However, in the end: "Don't Panic" if you want to be alive for your kids and grandkids to help them through it all with all your experience and wisdom.