That ideal

Many times I count myself lucky for getting out of travel woes easily, be it through Couchsurfing or risky outdoor thrills etc etc etc. I've had this long-held yearning of doing a solo backpacking trip to Afghanistan and Iraq because of their culture and multifaceted social climate. Yet, everyone around me, and the travel advisory never seemed favorable. The 'loved ones' barrier is the hardest to surmount. I've recently came across this strange account on Reddit's r/nosleep. Below it is:    

Nosleep post

I'm thoroughly unsure as to whether I'd forever make the correct choices to avoid major travel hiccups, to always meet the right people, etc. Perhaps OP is right in reinforcing my dad's words - that it only takes ONE traumatic experience to scar a person permanently. I've never really known how it is to be "scarred". People have warned, people have advised. Words never sunk deep enough. Perhaps you could say that this is attributed to too much faith in humanity. 

Then again, in constantly playing it safe, is that an assurance of a life lived to the fullest? Or would a 'earn it or lose it all' gamble be worth the while - a life at stake of being potentially crippled by a single blade capable of rendering the nerves raw? I'm as clueless as ever, but I don't want to stop until I gloriously meet my demise.