Sharks in the Water

Swimming at night, on the surface, with blood in the water. Three things you are not supposed to do if you want to avoid being attacked by a shark. And yet, the camp counselor I was talking with did all three of these things regularly during his night-time spearfishing adventures.

I was at a marine biology camp on Catalina Island with my students when this conversation happened. Over the course of a few days, I learned that this counselor had been spearfishing at night for many years. The other counselors also seemed to lack a fear of swimming in the dark. In fact, they even took my students and me on one of their nocturnal snorkeling expeditions. 

This experience led me to wonder about my fear of sharks and fear in general. On one hand, there were the counselors who regularly enjoyed the ocean. On the other hand, there were those who were afraid and stayed out of the water. Whether or not one swims doesn’t depend on a rational calculation but rather on the scariness of being attacked. Shark attacks are very rare but very easy to imagine. Terrifying images produce strong emotions, which influence the actions we take.

This week, I invite you to consider your fears and their impact on your actions: 

What are the sharks (scary things that are keeping you out of the water) in your life? What are the costs that you pay for not getting in the water (taking action)? What new thing could you believe about these sharks that would make it easier for you to get in the ocean and play?   

God Bless,
Dan