How does this fool notion that you can't swim exist? Everyone can swim, but breathing water never works. It does help to learn in a controlled environment with experts, but Hondo has been tossing kids into the water for a long time. But you can allow your fears to magnify to the point that you can't swim, and that isn't helpful, neither is getting your training from watching Hondo and the boy. Nor is it productive to outlaw unregulated swimming without a life guard present and a certification of proficiency.
Jump to school shootings, well I never saw any in my schooling, so I never knew they existed, when I was young Blackboard Jungle and Westside story meant knives, mostly switchblades, were the weapons of choice for the bad teenage boys. I even owned one once - cheap waste of bravado enhancement. Pen knife was of more utility and only Spics used knives in fights (stereo types that no one wanted to be like). Most of that was media narrative, there were rules about threatening folks with knives, written and otherwise. But no one worried if any one was carrying a penknife - since two or three bladed knives were standard boy gear. Why? Because our fathers, uncles and older brothers were all carrying them through the day. Remembering this makes me sure that many men weren't carrying pen knives - no one sharpened quills anymore, the name stuck from when they still did.
Almost all the things one fears are based on projection of possibilities, it could happen and then magnifying what you want everyone to fear with you. I find walking through the world being amazed and laughing at wonderful surprises better than cowering over someone's nightmare. I don't find joy nor entertainment in the horror movies, but enjoy a good drama or gun slinging adventure with well developed characters... but then I like puzzles, too. I am becoming very accepting of change, fools and folly. Not all those things make me happy, but real life isn't about being happy only about pursuing happiness. And that too will change.
Time to wake my wife, we have places to be and things to do. Nice to be in this fine country where we can do the important and the pleasing without being preyed upon nor limited by government excess regulations.... oops must not be paying attention, they have a law about that - being adventurous without a license.