What does not kill you does not make you stronger

After a near-death experience one might think “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” What they should be thinking about is what got them into a near-death situation in the first place. Several years ago I had been working in Europe for more than 200 days straight. I was sick of the cold, dreary weather I was forced to endure day in and day out in the north of England. So when my friends suggested that I join them on vacation to go scuba diving in the Cayman Islands, I jumped at the chance to go. What I didn’t know at the time was that I would learn a valuable lesson - to trust my instincts and not to give into peer pressure. The first day on the island we went to one of the many dive shops that dotted the harbor along the port town of Stingray City. Although we were able to book three days of diving, we had to wait until the next day to make our first dive. We were all anxious to do something after the long plane ride. My friend Rex suggested that we go snorkeling in the coral reefs off of Seven Mile Beach. Personally, I thought that it was a bad idea. I was not a really strong swimmer, and we would be alone without a boat to pick us up if we got tired. But Rex and his brother Doug would not let go of the idea and pressured me into going, and against my better judgment I agreed to go. The turquoise blue water of the Caribbean Ocean was warm and calm. I was surprised by the gentle slope of the seabed and how far we were able to walk out before we could no longer touch the bottom. We were soon diving in 15 feet of water. The vibrant colors of the coral, sponges and exotic fish was mesmerizing. My friends wanted to venture out into deeper water where the ocean was distinctively darker; where the larger fish could be found.
I was already uncomfortable where we were, given that the shoreline was now some 600 yards behind us. I definitely did not want to out any farther. Rex said “You can do what you want, but we’re going farther