Chilean Miners

Everyone on earth it seems is watching the person by person rescue of the 33 Chilean miners on TV. 70 days they've been trapped, and thanks to technology and some very dedicated planners above they were kept safe and sane while the rescue evolved. Last night, the first of the miners was brought to the surface. By Midnight tonight they should be all done bringing them to the surface.

It has been a wonder to behold.

I have sat here, watching the joy unfold as wives and the president of Chile and the witnessing crowd are all hugging and cheering and giving thanks and praise. In the back of my mind, I pondered what it would be like to be down there with the others, and what the discussions would have been about who goes first? Who goes last? Did they draw straws? Did they get told by the rescue team what the order would be?

Were you to be down there, and it was left to you and the others what the order would be, would you want to go first or would you be happy to wait? What are your thoughts?

I think that I would let those who would be going up to the pregnant wife, the ones with the little wee babies who were missing them, go first. I'd let the ones who were sick (if I weren't sick myself) go before me. I think I would even offer to go absolutely last. And I would trust fully that nothing would go wrong between rescue one and rescue 29 or something... which would result in my not being rescued.

These things are easy to say from my fat butt on my couch. But I would like to think of myself as one who would insist that others go first. I think I've always been that way.

What about you? Would your desire to be free yourself outweigh your concern for your comrades? What do you think you would do?