When we think of risk and risk taking, we ordinarily don’t relate it to everyday activities. Yet when we think about it, almost everything that we do is, or can be risky. Ordinarily we go through life and never consider the choices we make and the things we do as being risky. Listening to the news the other night, there was a young girl walking to school when another young lady, of driving age, was driving and texting a friend at the same time. Having been distracted by texting, she lost control and ran over and killed the younger girl. The young girl never knew what hit her, and yet her very life was snuffed out tragically. The risk she took that day was merely leaving her home to walk to school and having confidence in those who were driving, that they would be responsible. We may be far too confident in others and assume everyone is practicing safety rules and are competent to drive. We drive down the freeway 60 to 80 miles an hour and take little heed to the hundreds of other drivers. We merely assume that they are going to remain in their lanes and remain alert. When we think of risk and risk taking, we usually think of Evel Knievel, who appeared to be a daredevil whom we may have thought placed little or no value on his life. If the truth were known, he probably took many more precautions than we were aware of. When I see my grandsons on skateboards jumping off rails or jumping in the air with them and hoping to land on the wheels, I think they are taking a terrible risk of breaking a leg or worse. Yet they try and often fall but jump right up and try it again. In a way, I am proud to see them taking risks because if we are afraid to risk and afraid to practice risk taking, we are bound to a sedentary life, a safe life without excitement and with little opportunity for growth. I appreciated what was said in an article published by “Sir Speedy:”
“But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing and is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love life. Chained by his certitudes, he is a slave, he has forfeited freedom.” A strong statement but a true statement. America is known around the world as the land of opportunity, and people flock here to be a part of it. Many come to start a business or merely to find work. They leave their native land without knowing for sure what to expect when they get here. They are pioneers, risk takers, and hope is their driving force. Whether born here or immigrated here, it is the land of opportunity, but only for risk takers. As many have said, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Many older people look back at their lives and wished that they had been braver, more willing to take more risks believing that they would have had a more productive and interesting life. Many people live a sedentary life, they grow up, marry, get a job, and after that everything is routine. They come home after work and have supper, read the paper, watch TV and go to bed. The next day is the same, day after day, year after year. Others have been willing to risk time, money and a chance they may fail at education, training, a business of their own, hoping that one day their risk may lead to a better job, a better life, a more interesting career or hobby—a life that acquaints them with chance, opportunity and people. They have been willing to risk the comfort and safety of the other life for a life full of risk but a life also full of opportunity. Often people know what it is they would like to do, but never take that first step to do it. Why they don’t do it is because they are afraid, they want to play it safe. The greater risk we take, the more vulnerable we become. At the same time, the opportunities are opened up for us to move forward and upward in life. May we be blessed to be risk takers so that our lives will be more fulfilled and happy. I have always appreciated the little poem called, “If You Think You Can.”
If you think you’re beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don’t,
If you like to win, and don’t think you can,
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost,
For out in the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow’s will;
It’s all in the state of mind.
Full many a race is lost ere even a step is run, And many a coward fails, ere even his work is begun. Think big and your deeds will grow,
Think small and you’ll fall behind;
Think that you can and you will-
It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you are outclassed; you are; You’ve got to think high and rise,
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
to the stronger or faster man; But sooner or later, the man who wins Is the fellow who thinks he can!
We have not been placed here in this life to merely exist but to thrive and to grow, to grow is to risk. God bless us in our risk taking.