<p>However, after a certain point, one can let fear dictate her life, and a life compromised by fear is really no life at all.</p>
<p>Yes I agree-
thats why I would encourage people to take personal responsibilty for themselves to be informed as they can be about whatever situation they might be in.
But while I think we can make informed choices, and adapt our behavior accordingly, I wouldn't advocate staying locked in your room, just because you are worried about getting hit by a bus.
My oldest lives in a city in another state and rides her bike everywhere, she is "relatively" street savvy, at least Im assuming she has increased her awareness so that when a carful of gangbangers drive by and yell "complimentary" suggestions out the window, she doesn't go out into the middle of the street and yell "uncomplimentary" suggestions, back at them, like I have seen her do. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>My younger D also attends school in an "innercity" neighborhood, ( by innercity- I don't mean housing costs so much as crime rate ) loves to go surfing and snowboarding, plays rugby and has been planning a trip to the Australian outback for the past couple years ( to study sharks)
I think I * would* have to lock * her* in her room, if I was more interested in her reducing "risks" , than I was in encouraging her to follow her passion.</p>
<p>However- you can reduce risk- but in order to do that, you have to acknowledge it is there.</p>
<p>Everyday we see people who have made the decision to eat whatever, do whatever, because if they admit that what they are doing could cause damage to them, then they would have to admit that they are not immortal & they can't handle that.</p>
<p>Taking calculated risk, is a totally different thing than either staying in your room or pretending that risk doesn't exist.</p>