This post is proof that in marriage, an in-depth conversation or potential argument can come from anywhere.

Last night as we were sitting in our living room watching TV, we were switching back and forth from watching my beloved Cardinals and The Big Bang Theory. (We don’t watch it because we believe that’s the way the universe began, we watch it because we both enjoy the awkward comedy from the socially uncomfortable scientists.)

Anyway, on this particular episode, Howard gets invited to go into space, but his girlfriend (or is it is fiance? I’ve lost track) gets scared, freaks out, and tells him he can’t go. At the next commercial break, Wyatt turns to me and asks, seemingly innocent enough, “Would you let me go to space?”

Um…

Well…

Hmmm…

…

Clearly, I didn’t know what to say. Because at a moment like this, it’s a toss-up between wanting to be the excited wife who supports her husband in his dreams and quirks, and being the practical wife that knows how dangerous it would be so she says, “heck no!” and ends the conversation while crushing his hopes and dreams.

Hence my response:

“Well, I guess it would depend on why you wanted to, why you were given the opportunity, and how it was all going to work out, but overall, I’d have to lean toward…no.”

His eyes widened in surprise, (or was it mock surprise?) because let’s face it, this was a test and we both knew it. And he knows me well enough to know that was probably going to be my response.

So we talked about it some more.

And of course, I presented my fears about how dangerous it was, and his eyes glowed with how awesome it would be. (I agree, can you image the crazy, out-of-this-world view? Ok, bad pun, but still…)

At one point, he said, “How many people get to go to space?”

To which I responded, “Not that many, that’s why the percentage of those that don’t come back is so big!”

He even laughingly suggested we both go to space, so if anything happens, we’d go together! And while I’m all for Shakespeare, that doesn’t mean I want a dramatic Romeo and Juliet twist to our love story.

Now, of course, this was all in good fun. It isn’t like space travel has been a long-time dream of his, and we both know he isn’t likely to get invited to go to space any time soon, or ever, even. But there are other ways this type of situation can be presented, and it comes down to the question of whether the call of adventure or the reins of reality win out.

Don’t get me wrong, I like adventure. I was VERY tempted to go skydiving last Fall with coworkers from Missouri Life magazine. But in the end, I decided I just wasn’t ready to take that jump.

I mean, there’s danger in every situation. I’m well aware. I fell down at college once while I was running and still have the scars from the sidewalk to prove it. I had a car accident when I was sixteen and rolled my little SUV two and a half times.

But that doesn’t mean I’m going to seek out dangerous situations. In fact, I think those things make me want to do the opposite. That’s one reason I have such respect and admiration for military, firefighter, and law enforcement families. It’s a scary world out there. How do you find the balance between finding adventures and staying safe?

What do you think? Are there things you’re afraid to do? What about things you’re afraid for your loved ones to do? How can a wife be supportive and level-headed when confronted with a real-life situation like our TV-inspired scenario?