Are you concerned about your safety when traveling right now?

[Deidre32]

So, I'm scheduled to travel for business to NYC next month. As much as I adore NYC, and especially during the holiday time, I'm worried about traveling because of what just happened in France, and if there might be potential ISIS threats coming to the US.

I don't want to worry, and I've talked to others about this, and they tell me not to worry. And now that I'm back into my faith, there is a sense of guilt that I have for worrying at all, because I trust God, and His plan. All of that said, are you going to be traveling over the holidays or any time soon? Do you think it is safe? Is it futile to worry over this?

(sorry if this thread is in the wrong spot, I had no idea where to post this lol)

 

[jacknife]

I've lived near NYC my whole life and to answer your question, no I'm not worried about ISIS in the slightest.

 

[Eudaimonist]

I don't know for certain, but I'll bet that the odds are much more in favor of dying in a plane crash to and from France (or most places in the world) for non-terrorism related reasons as compared with being killed by terrorists (in the air or on the ground).

Fear is not a good measure of probability.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Armoured]

Outsie of the middle east, you're literally more likely to be killed by a vending machine than an Islamic terrorist. Try to keep it in perspective

 

[Ada Lovelace]

Worrying will never protect you. All it will do is sabotage you of joy and hope. As Eudaimonist wrote, fear is not a good measure of probability. Everyday everywhere you go you are surrounded by risks that you are unlikely to ever feel fearful about, nor should you be. Armoured is correct, too. Perceptions of risk, the intuitive judgements that are made about the hazards in the world, are often very stubbornly resistant to facts and instead are based on emotions. We're more afraid of another ISIS attack than we are of the distracted drivers on the road every day even though the latter is far more prevalent than the former.

You could go to NYC and there could be another attack, though it's extremely unlikely that there will be. You could stay home and encounter some other calamity, though that is probably not going to happen either. Or you could go and seize all the happiness and adventure available to you. NYC is magical at Christmas. We lived there when I was in elementary school and every December was a blissfest. I loved it. We're going there in a couple of weeks to celebrate my sister's birthday.

I'll add that my family travels frequently and we've yet to have any actual harm come our way. My stepdad just got back from Australia; my dad goes to London on Monday; my mom is in DC and NYC frequently and was just in Switzerland last month. As a family we've been around the globe. We all have had to add pages to our passports because we travel so much.
My brother is living in France this year, and we are going there to spend Christmas with him. We briefly considered canceling our plans in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris, but that would be letting terrorists dictate our lives. They don't deserve to have that power over us. We'll use caution of course, but we're still going. You should go to New York. Enjoy it.

 

[GrowingSmaller]

I dont have a passport, so I cant fly. I travel on foot or bus. No I am not scared of travel.

Sometimes I an anxious about world events, but I try to take a "yogic" attitude and have a peaceful and tranquil mind.

How can there be concern where there is peace, if we all join in and vote with our hearts, things should be fine.

cf: paradox of voting i.e. in a community of millions our influence is miniscule so why vote, but large groups take that attitude, then they will lose their influence.

So, for me peace it is. Its a little like a case where copoperation is the best first move in game theory.


Maybe war is a "social trap" of sorts:

"In psychology, a social trap is a situation in which a group of people act to obtain short-term individual gains, which in the long run leads to a loss for the group as a whole." (wikipedia)

 

[SkyWriting]

So, I'm scheduled to travel for business to NYC next month. As much as I adore NYC, and especially during the holiday time, I'm worried about traveling because of what just happened in France, and if there might be potential ISIS threats coming to the US.I don't want to worry, and I've talked to others about this, and they tell me not to worry. And now that I'm back into my faith, there is a sense of guilt that I have for worrying at all, because I trust God, and His plan. All of that said, are you going to be traveling over the holidays or any time soon? Do you think it is safe? Is it futile to worry over this?

God's plan for your life includes the day of your death.
Not one of us knows which day that is. It could be today,
or some other day.

 

[keith99]

Yes I'm very worried.

I travel by car for most things and by bike for recreation. Some drivers out there are idiots. It will get worse as we go into the party season.

 

[Wryetui]

So, I'm scheduled to travel for business to NYC next month. As much as I adore NYC, and especially during the holiday time, I'm worried about traveling because of what just happened in France, and if there might be potential ISIS threats coming to the US.

I don't want to worry, and I've talked to others about this, and they tell me not to worry. And now that I'm back into my faith, there is a sense of guilt that I have for worrying at all, because I trust God, and His plan. All of that said, are you going to be traveling over the holidays or any time soon? Do you think it is safe? Is it futile to worry over this?

(sorry if this thread is in the wrong spot, I had no idea where to post this lol)

Well, since I am confessed and I took communion I am not afraid of death. You should do the same.

 

[keith99]

Well, since I am confessed and I took communion I am not afraid of death. You should do the same.

But if you travel by plane you will be dealing with all kinds of issues that are apt to cause you to utter an unkind word or worse and end you being in a state of grace.

 

[Hetta]

What Keith said. When you put it into perspective, how dangerous is your daily commute? I was so glad that Tuesday was my last day of work before Thanksgiving because driving had become scary. People get so overwhelmed with getting their turkey and last minute shopping that they act crazy on the roads. I feel far more at risk from some fool piling into my car, than from terrorists.

Like Ella, we frequently travel overseas, and the worst part of travel is the hassle of security. I like the fact that there is security, but I hate the speed with which we must put everything into bins and take off our shoes, and when the kids were little, oh my. Try divesting toddlers of their shoes, explaining they must part with their backpacks etc., even though you have warned them in advance. It is exhausting. Now that the kids are older, I can thankfully focus just on my part of the process, and I still find it confusing and stressful. The biggest dangers in airplane travel are taking off and landing. That is when you are the most danger. We have had some unpleasant landing experiences, and as next year we will travel overseas in the winter, I also dread delayed flights necessitating an expensive stay over at some point along the way. Ever been on a plane that skidded on ice during landing? Not fun. But I'm not particularly worried about terrorists targeting my particular plane.

 

[Deidre32]

Well, since I am confessed and I took communion I am not afraid of death. You should do the same.

This is a powerful statement, and quite true. I'm not afraid anymore of death. I've been born again, something that hadn't happened in my life, up until recently. Even though I was raised in the faith. Blessings to you.

 

[Deidre32]

But if you travel by plane you will be dealing with all kinds of issues that are apt to cause you to utter an unkind word or worse and end you being in a state of grace.

haha you are funny.

 

[Wgw]

So, I'm scheduled to travel for business to NYC next month. As much as I adore NYC, and especially during the holiday time, I'm worried about traveling because of what just happened in France, and if there might be potential ISIS threats coming to the US.

I don't want to worry, and I've talked to others about this, and they tell me not to worry. And now that I'm back into my faith, there is a sense of guilt that I have for worrying at all, because I trust God, and His plan. All of that said, are you going to be traveling over the holidays or any time soon? Do you think it is safe? Is it futile to worry over this?

(sorry if this thread is in the wrong spot, I had no idea where to post this lol)

I am not worried myself.

 

[SteveB28]

So, I'm scheduled to travel for business to NYC next month. As much as I adore NYC, and especially during the holiday time, I'm worried about traveling because of what just happened in France, and if there might be potential ISIS threats coming to the US.

I don't want to worry, and I've talked to others about this, and they tell me not to worry. And now that I'm back into my faith, there is a sense of guilt that I have for worrying at all, because I trust God, and His plan. All of that said, are you going to be traveling over the holidays or any time soon? Do you think it is safe? Is it futile to worry over this?

(sorry if this thread is in the wrong spot, I had no idea where to post this lol)

Your fears, when they are expressed through your behaviour, play right into the hands of those who would terrorise you. They win when you change your lifestyle out of fear.

I try to adopt this adage:

'Never worry. There are only two things you can worry about - those that are in your control and those outside of it.
If something is in your control, then control it. If it is out of your control, then nothing you can do will affect it - so why worry?'

Easy for me, I suppose. At 87, I can boast a long fulfilling life, so my death, whenever it occurs, will hardly be an unfair thing.

 

[Deidre32]

Your fears, when they are expressed through your behaviour, play right into the hands of those who would terrorise you. They win when you change your lifestyle out of fear.

I try to adopt this adage:

'Never worry. There are only two things you can worry about - those that are in your control and those outside of it.
If something is in your control, then control it. If it is out of your control, then nothing you can do will affect it - so why worry?'

Easy for me, I suppose. At 87, I can boast a long fulfilling life, so my death, whenever it occurs, will hardly be an unfair thing.

You are 87? That is amazingly awesome.
Thank you for this post, you are absolutely right, I know.

 

[SteveB28]

You are 87? That is amazingly awesome.
Thank you for this post, you are absolutely right, I know.

Thank you, but it's not really so 'awesome'.
You just have to not die for a long time.......

 

[Deidre32]

Thank you, but it's not really so 'awesome'.
You just have to not die for a long time.......

Aw, this makes me misty eyed. 87. Hmmm....what will I think of life, how will I see things... at 87? I wonder...

 

[Deidre32]

What Keith said. When you put it into perspective, how dangerous is your daily commute? I was so glad that Tuesday was my last day of work before Thanksgiving because driving had become scary. People get so overwhelmed with getting their turkey and last minute shopping that they act crazy on the roads. I feel far more at risk from some fool piling into my car, than from terrorists.

Like Ella, we frequently travel overseas, and the worst part of travel is the hassle of security. I like the fact that there is security, but I hate the speed with which we must put everything into bins and take off our shoes, and when the kids were little, oh my. Try divesting toddlers of their shoes, explaining they must part with their backpacks etc., even though you have warned them in advance. It is exhausting. Now that the kids are older, I can thankfully focus just on my part of the process, and I still find it confusing and stressful. The biggest dangers in airplane travel are taking off and landing. That is when you are the most danger. We have had some unpleasant landing experiences, and as next year we will travel overseas in the winter, I also dread delayed flights necessitating an expensive stay over at some point along the way. Ever been on a plane that skidded on ice during landing? Not fun. But I'm not particularly worried about terrorists targeting my particular plane.

((Hetta)) Hi! I have missed seeing you on here.
Yes, agreed. The holiday driving over these past few days has been insane. I mean, truly insane.

Perhaps, it taps into a part of me that has always been a worrier, and now coming back to faith, I'm reminded that I needn't worry. If it is my time, it will be my time, and thankfully, I'm close to Christ again. It comforts me.

 

[Butterfly99]

Not really tbh. Cause I mean there are school shootings too. I still have to go to school every day. Everybody still has to go to work even though ppl got killed at their workplace this week. So I don't think you should stop traveling just cause of fear either.