No waiver required.

Many of you may know that I enjoy the TV program, The Amazing Race. My kids were asking me if I would ever like to be on the show. As much as I enjoy watching, that is where my involvement must end. I do not really like to fly and especially do not do heights. So there would be no point to starting something that I know I would not be able to finish. Eventually I would come to some point where the producers of the show would say "walk around the top of this sky scraper with a small rope supporting you" and I would say "not even for a million bucks". That would not be good TV and so I am sure I would never make the show. Never mind I could never leave my kids for 30 days anyway, so the whole thing is a mute point. But I can enjoy watching others do, what I never would and see interesting places around the world that I will never go to visit. In searching on the web, I found an actual application for the show and thought this part of it was interesting enough to warrant publication on my blog. What do you think?

"All applicants must be in good physical and mental health and must be aware that, and sign releases attesting that, the activities in the Program may involve risks and hazards, and that participating in the Program may expose applicant and other participants to, among other things, the risk of death, serious injury, illness and property damage caused by the risks associated with their participation in the Program, including, without limitation, the following: latent or apparent defects or conditions in any equipment used in the Program; the use or operation by applicant or others of said equipment; acts of other people including, without limitation, acts of the Producers or other participants; accommodations; weather or other natural conditions; the nature of travel including, without limitation, latent defects and human error; applicant’s physical condition; applicant’s own acts or omissions; sleep deprivation; first-aid, medical or emergency treatment or other services rendered to applicant or others; exposure to illness; consumption of food or drink; acts of God (e.g. earthquakes and floods); laws or local ordinances; war or riots; terrorism; strikes; and/or no reason at all. Applicants must understand and acknowledge that the above list of reasons is not complete or exhaustive. Applicants must accept and assume all risks of injury, death, illness or disease, or other damage to themselves, to others, or to their property, which arise in any way from their participation in this Program."

After reading this, I found myself surprised that no one is forced to sign a similar waiver when they become a mother. I think many of things listed on this waiver, are dangers that a mother faces on a daily basis. In my humble opinion, motherhood has been one of the biggest adventures of my life and has felt very much like an amazing race on a daily basis. Repeatedly, I have faced road blocks and detours and breath taking moments. So perhaps I don't really need to go on the TV show, I am living it every day.