News Reporting Travel Danger Creates Fear
Is it well-deserved? Did the word “danger” or “fear” in the title serve to hook a reader to want to know more?
We as humans are programmed somewhere in our primitive brains to sense and respond to danger. Having a healthy response to real danger is built into human DNA. Fear is a survival mechanism. When faced with life or death situation, we need to be aware, alert and ready to respond.
Is this natural ability negatively affected by the constant exposure to fear-based information? Does it distort one’s connection with truth and inner “knowing”? Is the motivation of news media to attract more readers and increase revenue, or from a true concern for the well-being of all?
And what of courage? An English word that comes from the French word coeur, or heart.
Archbishop Tutu once said “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to act despite it”.
Here I am, along with a friend, about to board a JetBlue flight to Turks and Caicos.
Knowing I was traveling here, over the last few weeks, concerns and questions came in from people who warned me of the dangers they believed I might face. This, all based on a recent news report.
How do these stories match with the lives of the people who live in Turks and Caicos? It is important to consider how these stories may cause division rather than serve.
This is my 7th visit to Providenciales, the main island in the chain of forty smaller islands. In each of these visits, I have connected with people from the islands who are more than genuine, caring and kind.
I run group trips through my organizations Carpe Dink’em Pickleball Vacations and With Heart Travel for people to enjoy vacation with a focus on the sport of pickleball. As part of my With Heart Travel mission, each of these group trips include what I call a “giving exchange”. I partner with local organizations to build community, foster friendship and break down barriers.
Group participants have the option to meet and spend time with local people who are part of these organizations, sometimes at their site and other times, we host at the resort.*
I have established this relationship with groups such as Women In Sports of Turks and Caicos (WIS); and Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association (TCIFA). Both groups serve to empower and develop leaders in youth and adults.
This time, I wanted to see more of the islands and am heading to visit Grand Turk, one of the lesser traveled and smaller islands. I will meet friends who run TCIFA. The plan is to work with some children with special needs for their morning soccer practice. I am honored to be welcomed by this organization and excited to get to know more about how TCIFA serves and empowers these youth and families.
I will report on how on goes, and if something changes, and there is real danger that I face, I will certainly bring forth that news.
Stay tuned for more!
*All-Travel and Club Med are a great supporters of my continuing With Heart Travel’s mission of fostering and building connection with local community.