Hello, dear friends! It's been a few weeks since I last posted here. The Texas summer heat has certainly arrived, bringing along hot breezes, mosquitos, and beautiful sunsets. For some lucky souls, summer is a time of refuge - days are spent at the pool, on vacation, or simply on the couch in the a/c. This summer, however, I'm working, volunteering, and taking 3 summer classes. Sound easy? A few months ago when I registered for classes, I thought so, too. Don't get me wrong; I love what I'm studying, and I'm eager to learn more. Still, I'm counting down the days til my last final of the summer: 48!
Today's topic is centered around the idea of risk. Andrew and I had a fun conversation about this today, and it really sparked my thoughts. Just how much risk is too much, and how much is too little? I'm sure there are people who would love to argue that there's no such thing as too much risk, and there's probably those of you who would love to say that risk is just too risky, and any bit is too much. There's so many thoughts churning through my poor graduate studies-drenched brain right now, it's hard to keep them all straight.
What motivates us to take risks? Before I could begin to ponder this, I felt that I needed a solid definition of "risk." According to Mr. Webster, risk is "the possibility of loss or injury, someone or something that creates or suggests a hazard," and several other ominous sounding things. I read these definitions, and I found myself wondering, why on earth would anyone want to take a risk if they're going to lose something? And then I realized the subtle cleverness of this definition: risk is the possibility of loss or injury. It's not a promise of a negative side effect, but the mere possibility. People don't take risks unless they feel like they have something to gain. People who take risks are dreamers; they probably know what's at stake, and they probably know the consequences of their actions if they fail. But if you succeed in reaching insert-your-personal-goal-here, the risk is worth it.
Some of us like to think that we're invincible, and we take lots of risks. We think, that'll never happen to me. And maybe it doesn't. Maybe we're lucky, and we live another day and another after that. Some of us like to think that we're incredibly vulnerable, and we shy away from risks. We worry about what could happen and what might happen. We live safe lives, but we probably always wonder what's out there.
Risk is everywhere. It's so easily apparent, it's easy to miss. How's that for a paradox? We take a risk when we fall in love, when we drive in a car, when we walk on the sidewalk. We take a risk when we sit on our couch (because all that sedentary activity might lead to obesity), and we take a risk when we go running outside (because you might overwork yourself and give yourself a heart attack). We take a risk when we learn to walk, and we take a risk when we apply for a job. We take a risk when we climb a mountain, and we take a risk when we share a secret with someone. Life is full of risk. Maybe life even is risk itself. (At this point, I've typed 'risk' so many types, it's looking like a made-up word)
And so, my friends, I have no answer for you. I don't know how much risk is too much, or if there is such a thing as too much. I can only say what I know to be true for myself. I can't avoid risk, so I must embrace it and all the possibilities it brings. I think 5 steps ahead, even though I know my plans will change. Still, I'd rather take a few risks than wait for life to develop on its own. I don't want to miss out just because I'm afraid of a possibility. As the great Michelangelo once said, "The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.”
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