For some odd reason this question has entered my mind lately, and the one fear I've had since I was a teen has finally been put to rest:
My greatest fear was living a "normal" life. During the first 5 years on my first marriage, I knew that I was about to disappear into the woodwork.. never to be heard of again. I would simply become a tiny cog in the big wheel, and nobody would know that I had even existed... until my obituary came out in the paper.
I was SO afraid that my obituary would read something like this:
Jerry Waters "went home to be with the Lord"... he was (enter age here)
Jerry worked at DuPont for 40 years and built bird houses during his retirement. He was a member of the Charleston Moose Lodge.
While most people would be happy to live a "normal" life... I just couldnt see that Obit in my future. I had to be a radio guy, a firefighter, a skydiver, a bridge jumper, a motorcycle rider, a sailer, gravedigger, an internet "force", a photographer , traveler and even an "inmate" at the county jail. I had to take chances with my life over and over. I just couldn't allow that personally frightening obituary to be printed.
After this last stint in radio, I'm pretty sure my obit will be far from "normal". My only great fear has finally been put to rest and I can die a happy man.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)