Enculturation--Cautious or Paranoid?

Today was a beautiful sunny fall day. I want to cherish each of these days that I have while on sabbatical. So after spending the morning on the computer I decided to go for a nice long walk at Charles Lindberg State Park. This was not the first time I had been to the park, but it was the first time I had been there by myself in years. In fact, I almost didn't go because I knew I would be alone. It saddens me that this is part of my reality.

Before I left the house I slipped my cell phone into my coat pocket. I thought about taking my mace but decided not to. But even as I was walking I caught myself turning my head and looking back over my shoulder to make sure no one was sneaking up on me. After about the 5th time of doing so, I started to question why I was so fearful that something was going to happen to me. There must have been something in my enculturation that made me this way.

Was it something my parents said to me about not going out alone? Was it the few scary movies I watched? If I was a male, would I have the same adrenaline reaction? But maybe it is because of the real news reports about real crimes happening in our state and around the country. These news reports seem to be all too frequent.

So whatever the factors were that contributed to my enculturation, I guess the question really then becomes does my enculturation lead to a sense of paranoia or am I just being realistically cautious?

W: 4 miles 1 hr 2 min

POSTE NOTE: OK I just posted this blog entry and the top news story tonight? Four adult men who beat and burned a mentally challenged male over the course of two days! They took him out to a remote wooded area both nights! Earlier this summer a woman with cancer was beaten nearly to death! It makes me sick and sad and angry. So I changed the picture to one of Justin which I took from KSTP online newssite. To you Justin, and to the woman with cancer who was too scared to give her name--I wish you peace and all the best this world has to offer you as you've certainly seen some of its worst.