As I prepare for my workshop in Savannah, GA with the Coastal Georgia Apartment Association, I was reflecting on my leadership presentation after talking with a friend. Life is full of risks, and sometimes taking them leads to life changing moments. As my friends and family know, I am a professional Dive Master and love diving...especially with sharks. I remember my first scuba dive with these amazing creatures and was shortly after getting my certification. Standing on the back platform of the boat I looked down into the crystal clear water of the Florida Keys and seeing 10 - 15 sharks swimming below me. My heart was pounding and I thought, what the hell am I doing and is my life insurance paid up. I gained my courage and took the giant stride into shark infested waters and headed to the bottom which as about 35 feet below. After getting on the bottom sharks were coming around me and acting like puppy dogs wanting attention. I soon learned they were not there to eat me and came up from the dive saying, "Can we do it again?" which we did. I can say I was hooked and came to appreciate these awesome and majestic creatures. I later went on dives with hammerheads, tiger sharks (largest one was 16 feet), lemons, reef sharks, black tips, sand tigers, and the list goes on and never at any time felt threatened. I have ran my hand down the side of a 14 foot tiger shark, who came back around several times as if to say, "Please rub me again." People say to me all the time, "Aren't you afraid of sharks?" To which I reply, "Have you met some of the residents I have had to deal with?" Everything is relevant.
I have para sailed, bungee jumped (which I will never do again), dropped out of an airplane at 10,000 feet, rock climbed, swam with sharks, and even raced a car at over 130 miles an hour. Life must be lived and fears overcome to make the most of life. I remember a quote by Richard Cardinal Cushing:
Every day sends to their graves obscure men who in all probability would have gone to great lengths in their career of fame. The truth is you cannot stand back back thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as best you can.
Live life to the fullest and find your sharks. For life it to short and you never know what new adventure will be your career of fame.
