Authors and Adrenaline

I don't know about you, but I am allllll about the adrenaline rush. I'm a certified scuba diver, I've gone white water rafting, and been skydiving. Not to mention that my favorite (Jake) and I sold all of our belongings to buy a big RV and travel the country for a year. During that time, we hiked in the desert, swam in the world's largest spring-fed pool, walked with alligators, and fished in the swamps of Louisiana. I'm all about the adventures and the great feeling I get from conquering my fears and saying to hell with feeling safe all the time.

The best rush I've ever had was skydiving for the first time. It was so good, that I went again three weeks later. I was so nervous before the first jump, until we were boarding the plane. I was going tandem (strapped to a professional diver), so we had already watched the videos, suited up, and practiced what would happen. But the video and all the talk could never prepare me for the feeling of complete surrender. Once we were on the plane, it was like all of my fears disappeared. There was no way I was going to back out and, in my mind, embarrass myself in front of my super attractive instructor. There were four first-time divers to be strapped to four instructors in the small, noisy plane: my father and I, and a mother and son duo. I was last to jump. It didn't bother me when the son and then the mother jumped out of the open door, but it was somewhat nerve-wracking to see my father fall out of the open door at 14,000 feet. Before I knew it, my instructor and I were duck-walking up to the open door. The photographer was hanging out of the open space, facing us. We all rocked back and forth three times and then we were out.

There's something to be said about surrendering yourself completely. At that point, I had no control over what happened, whether I lived or died... so... I put the fear aside and just enjoyed it. My instructor and I posed for the camera a few times, but for the most part, I looked around and took in the view; it was magnificent.

I felt euphoric for damn near three days after my first jump.

My second jump was certainly about capturing that same feeling; and it did, to an extent. It's still on my bucket list to spend the time and money to dive independently and to be certified. I just haven't got around to it quite yet.

I know how I feel in the face of these adventures, and I can't lie... writing gives me the same sort of adrenaline rush. To put your words, your thoughts out there for anyone to read is intense. What will they think? What will they feel? Do they understand?

These thoughts are the ultimate rush. So, I wonder... do other authors feel the same way? Or is writing just another adventure for me?