Grand Fool

Normally, I wouldn't share something that comes from work - but the mere thought of the pictures below, have been causing me to break out in a cold sweat, since the first time I saw them, two days ago.

The reason that these photos were circulated is because my company has put a large emphasis on "Behavior Based Safety Training" and one of the golden rules is to think, before you act. We are frequently (as in several times a day) encouraged to ask ourselves - before we engage in any task - "What could go wrong and what is the worst thing that could happen?"

Having a "safety all-the-time" mentality has served me quite well as a mother of toddler triplets. Although, I will admit, sometimes I don't think things through very well. Had I adequately thought through "what is the worst thing that could happen" I doubt I would have taken three 18-month olds for a walk on safety harnesses. Nor, would I have taken down all of our baby gates. Come to think of it - if I was as safety conscious as I should be ... our kids would be wrapped in bubble wrap and we'd never leave the house.

I'm not overly afraid of heights, unlike my mother who hung on to a telescope for dear life the first time I brought her to the Grand Canyon. But some people ... have NO fear and/or not a brain in their noggin.

The person that sent me these photos said that the absolutely crazy idiot with a death wish dare devil had a camera, a tripod and a plastic bag, clutched in his left hand. Only his right hand was available to grab the rock. He made it out of this precarious situation - but not before his flip flops slipped, he started to fall, and was able to grab hold of the rock and throw his gear on to land.

I'm not sure about you ... but if given the option of standing on perfectly stable ground, I would not take the risk of jumping across a 900 meter (2,953 feet) crevasse IN MY FLIP FLOPS to take a picture on a friable pinnacle that would not allow any better perspective, than the picture I took if I was standing 15 feet away, on solid ground.

As a note to my children: If you ever try something like this and live to tell about it ... I'll kill you (if I don't drop dead, first). Don't try me.