Life on the edge

by Johanne James

Hi there!

Life on the edge! Thrill seekers, risk takers and adventure junkies, good luck.

I was a motorcycle courier in central London for 18 months. Trust me, it’s the second most dangerous job in London after construction! I would thank the universe each day I survived, as unfortunately many others didn’t. It nearly cost me my life twice, and after the second crash the doctors asked, “Why are you still alive, you should by all rights, be dead!” I would ride like the devil to get my parcels to their destinations ASAP, laugh at motorists in their very expensive cars going nowhere. What a rush. There are limits, and it’s best that you find yours no matter what thrill you choose. “It is those of us who go too far that find out how far we can go”. But bare in mind that you may not return from wherever it is you’ve been. I played Ice Hockey for a while, and goodness me, that is a game of high velocity contact, ouch! I have ridden my motorcycle to its limits on the motorways, and lived to tell the tale. My hero Joseph Kittenger, took a high altitude balloon wearing nothing more than a pressure suit and crash helmet 20 miles into the upper atmosphere, and when he got as far as he dared, had a final look at his surroundings and jumped from the gondola. That my friends, is the ultimate thrill seeking, risk taking and any other connotation you care to use! And considering this was achieved some 50 years ago, well what can I say? I’m afraid of heights. Felix Baumgartner exceeded this record and for those of you, who witnessed the event, all I can say is, did you have to change your pants too? It adds a new dimension to the phrase “see the world”. 

Every generation dares to push the boundaries of our existence. Just when you think we can go no further, we do. What is it we seek that we must climb the highest mountain, explore the deepest ocean or break the speed limit in every capacity? Well there are no limits, and as long as we keep pushing who knows where we may end up? As long as it’s not in a box with some guy reading your eulogy and everyone else in a flood of tears blurting out what a wonderful person he/she was! Know your limits and for where you stop, I begin!

Peace my friends.