Risk Taking
To laugh is to appear looking like a fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feeling is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd
is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But the risk must be taken,
because the great hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing.
She may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but she simply cannot learn, feel, change,
grow, love, live.
Changed by her certitude, she is a slave,
she has forfeited freedom.
Only a person who risks - is free.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feeling is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd
is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But the risk must be taken,
because the great hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing.
She may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but she simply cannot learn, feel, change,
grow, love, live.
Changed by her certitude, she is a slave,
she has forfeited freedom.
Only a person who risks - is free.