Thrill

Have you ever jumped off a high object into water? It's scary. You know that if you land wrong, you could really hurt yourself. As you fall, you have to make sure your body is straight up-and-down as you enter the water, with your arms held close to your chest so they don't get wrenched out of place. It is thrilling.

The feeling of fear as you stand at the top is the only way I can conceive of the fear that Steph Davis describes. She knows her body can do it, but that the consequences of failing are catastrophic. That feeling of fear -- the exhilaration mixed with terror -- is special. And it is a feeling that only comes with risk.

Most good things I can imagine existing in Heaven (or the new heavens and the new Earth or whatever). But I cannot imagine risk-taking being a joy we will experience in Heaven, at least not to the extent that it is possible on Earth right now. I could be way off, and it's pure speculation, but that's just what I think. How could risk exist without pain and death?

I don't have fully-formed thoughts on this, and I am confident that Heaven will be better in every respect then the current fallen world. But for now I know that while I'm here on earth I want to savor the thrill of taking risks. I don't mean that I want to be reckless, and I'm definitely not gonna go free solo climbing anytime soon. But in moments when I feel that top-of-the-diving-board sensation, I find myself simply pausing to let the feeling wash over me. When Heaven comes, I may never feel it again.