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The one positive thing to come out of the tragic death of Emma Kelty is that she has inspired many people to be more courageous

By Nina Steele 

Emma KeltyWhatever your views on the terrible way in which adventurer Emma Kelty met her end, the one thing that cannot be denied is that she was incredibly brave. I have to come clean and admit that my first reaction on hearing of her death, was anger. I was angry that she chose to put her life at risk when she was repeatedly warned against the dangers that she was most likely going to face. As the days went by however, my opinion of her changed.

Unlike me, my husband’s support for her has been unwavering. As far as he is concerned, she lived her life the way she wanted, and just because other people believe her fateful adventure was far too risky doesn’t mean we should forget what drove her in the first place. He reminded me that she could have been lucky and survived to tell her story, and I have to admit that he has a point. Luck does indeed play a part in situations like these.

Some people believe in pushing themselves to the limit and she was one of those people. Just because most of us would never dream of taking such a high level of risk does not mean that we should discourage everyone else from doing so. Some people just won’t settle for anything that feels remotely ordinary. Asking them to be like everyone else is simply asking them too much.

Emma Kelty was one of those people who lived for the next adventure. She was single and childless, and from what I understand, this was a choice she made because, anything other than that would have got in the way of her passion for adventures. At 43, she has accomplished more than most people will ever achieve in their lifetime.

I believe that one of the reasons behind the posthumous criticism she has received, is the fact that she has shown the kind of courage that is beyond the reach of most people. And by doing so, she has forced all of us to take another look at our lives. Courage has many levels and the type she has shown, is second to none. Of course no one should attempt what she did that sadly led to her death. However, the message that her story is sending is that, everyone should aspire to live their life with courage. That courage can be expressed in many ways. Whatever form it takes, is up to each and every one of us. The ultimate goal should be living an authentic life.

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