There has been some insightful, thoughtful, and (I hope)
thought-provoking input ahead of this post & I doubt I can contribute
much more, beyond agreeing with it all and trying to reinforce it from
my personal perspective.

As the years have passed, one by one most of my long-held beliefs about
certain aspects of aviation have been proven wrong by reality, e.g.:
- it IS possible to spin in a landing-flap-only-equipped sailplane while
flying a pattern with full flaps;
- people DO routinely fall asleep at the switch;
- "it" CAN happen to me.

The ship I've flown since 1981 is docility defined in every flight
regime which I've explored, and I have difficulty imagining one of
similar airfoil & configuration being inadvertently spun...yet it has
been done (not by me), and, into the ground, with full flaps deployed
(the pilot - who survived - was overshooting his off-airport field).

I've never spun mine, have no intention of ever spinning it
(intentionally or unintentionally), but believe in my soul that it
*might* be possible that I *could* inadvertently spin it...and try
really hard to "not do it!" So far, it's worked.

I believe and think this way for a number of reasons: 1) accident
reports tell me others (including paid professionals) too-often 'do the
impossibly unlikely;' 2) perfection's NOT an option; and 3) I hope that
by so believing I'm doing everything I can within myself to *avoid*
doing those things I never - EVER! - want to do in a glider. You're
darned right there's a paradox here, but until someone comes up with an
inoculation against human forgetfulness, momentary inattention during
critical flight regimes, varying/diminishing skills, etc. I believe it's
the best I can do within my own brain.

I knew neither of our recently departed soul brothers, but mourn their
passing and circumstances, and grieve for their families and friends.

Respectfully and Sorrowfully,
Bob W.