One Person’s “Normal”…

“Do something that scares you every day” – Eleanor Roosevelt

About 10 years ago I took some lipstick and wrote that quote in a defiant way across the top of the very large mirror in my kids’ bathroom. I’m not sure I planned it this way, but I’ve been cleaning around it ever since and encouraging my children to live by that phrase (sensibly).

That’s why I had to publish today’s video right away when an EWC fan shared it with us last night.

Here’s a taste of what we are getting into today on EWC…

Source: metro.

This EWC fan remarked that the passengers in this minivan were not making the kind of nervous comments in the background that reckless people often do in similar videos. He mentioned that it felt like, “they were resolved to do what they needed to do to get to their destination and the drivers were just taking this route like it was commonplace.”

It made us consider what a world might look like where more people were comfortable with what is “normal” for others. And everyone would live a little easier on the edges of their comfort zones.

This video is uncomfortably fun and thought-provoking. After you have a look, I’ll tell you who these determined travelers are. It’s interesting. Take a look…

As the mini-bus teeters on the edge, did you notice the nervous laughter from the passengers?

I agreed with our EWC fan, that there was a lack of recklessness to the comments from the van, so I did what I do for the EWC community: I spent an hour fact-checking this and tracking down who made it (this one wasn’t easy, but I finally found the trail!)

It turns out our instincts were right: These guys are not just nervous, random tourists. This is a video shot by an expert and award-winning mountaineer named Mick Fowler, as his group was climbing up a mountain road in the Himalayas through Kishtwar National Park in India.

Source: The BMC

Mick posted the video on Facebook, saying:

“Getting to the mountains is just as exciting as climbing them.”

It was curious to see how they also seemed to share a sense of astonished wonder and respect for the locals who accept these conditions as “normal”.

And I had to pause to think about what an expert mountaineer would consider “normal”.

What would a world look like where people could all have a sense of humor (like these fellows in the mini-bus) when they are out at the edges of their comfort zones?

We could do less complaining and more laughing nervously, while enjoying the ride!

If you’d like to learn more about Mick, you can click here.

Meanwhile, stay curious, open and optimistic!

~ Dr. Lynda