Someone recently said to me, “Be safe.” It may have been in the context of the extreme cold which we are currently experiencing. Wisely our leadership moved Commissions and Board meetings to a less frigid day. The cold and icy conditions now present a real challenge especially to those of us who are a bit older. Now one of the first questions which medical staff asks me is, “Have you fallen recently?” Earlier in my life, nobody asked me that. I have always been less than careful and as a result fell many times when I was younger, although I have never broken any bones. Nowadays, I listen to my doctors and take care not to fall. I try to be safe, but is safety just about not falling? What does it mean to be safe in the rest of my “not falling” life? I am told to keep my passwords safe. Should I worry about how safe my food and water are? Should I wear a face mask all winter flu season? Perhaps I should wrap myself and those I love in bubble wrap instead of a puffy coat. Where is the balance between safety and obsession? Fear for our safety could end up blocking us from enjoying and experiencing life. Risky behavior makes little sense but neither does neurotic fear. I try to remember the line from the gospel song, “Safe am I, safe am I, in the shelter of His love.” I think it is a better way.