– George Burns
The other night, the idea that drivers who are drunk are less likely to be killed in a car crash came up in conversation. Feeling skeptical, I Googled the idea that drunk drivers somehow enjoy extra protection in accidents, and to my surprise, I read that a number of studies have indeed found that while drivers who have been drinking are just as likely to get injured in a crash as those who are sober, they are considerably less likely to die from those injuries. Researchers hypothesize that it is because they are too relaxed and out of it to get emotionally stressed by the accident that they fare so well. While driving drunk is certainly foolish and irresponsible, it would seem that panicking and worrying may be even more dangerous! This got me thinking about how staying calm and relaxed is wise for all sorts of reasons, and may be especially important when we’re in the midst of a crisis of some kind. Since the more we practice serenity when things are going smoothly, the easier it will be to stay calm when chaos erupts, making time for regular spiritual practice could literally save our lives.