“Self defense” often denotes an immediate situation confronting you. A stranger accosts you in an elevator or at a parking lot. Or a loved one throws a violent temper tantrum to the point where you fear for your safety.

But what about life style choices that start out innocently enough but develops into a potential life threatening scenario?

For example, imagine a person racking up a gambling debt that approaches hundreds of thousands of dollars? What if it’s the kind of debt that results in broken legs or worse?

Is that person capable of realizing the long term consequences of their choices? I don’t know. On the one hand, they may be too caught up in the moment to step outside of themselves. On the other hand, they’re often suffused with fear but of their debt rather than their own safety.

What I’m getting at is that lifestyle choices often have a great impact on our personal safety.

Thoughts?

Side note: I typed this entirely on my iPhone and didn’t have access to my laptop to clean it up. Hope it turned out okay!