Death Inside the Shell

 Like most humans, I am a creature of comfort. I love to be in an environment that is familiar and secure. My backyard. On the couch watching a good show with my wife snuggled in at my side. Laughing at my grandkids as they run around willy-nilly laughing at each other and playing. I take great comfort and joy in good, savory snacks, and sweet deserts. I’m guessing almost everyone can relate to this. We all have those places in our lives that we prefer, and things we have peace in. Why would anyone go out looking for trouble? Like those nutty folks who like to jump out of perfectly good airplanes, and then hang by a few strings as they float to the ground. Or the weirdos who enjoy dangling from sheer rock cliffs. Or the ones who choose to run an Iron Man race – 2 ½-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, followed by a 26.2-mile run – that’s not comfortable. And there are some who willing choose to stand in front of large groups of people and speak – some would, quite literally, rather die, than do that. Or how about devoting hour upon hour – days and even weeks – solving a math problem. Are you kidding me? The truth of life is that all of us will face hard things in life – they will be foisted upon us without choice.