Risk . . . Just a Part of Life

I remember my first time out on a little gold 125 Honda scooter.  Fighting the handlebars, I tried to stay balanced while taking the corner on the test drive.  I yelled inside my head, “What are you DOING?!”  Then a comforting thought, “Well, if I crash, I’m right next to the hospital.”

That white-knuckle, around-the-block scooter ride finished without mishap and became the start of my motorcycling adventures.  Since then, I’ve ridden all over North America on my candyapple-red Gold Wing.

Whenever we attempt something new, we may experience butterflies in our stomachs or wobbly knees.  Maybe it’s something many folks would call dangerous.  Maybe it's something that's not in line with other people's expectations. That’s taking a risk. 

My mentor Sid Simon teaches that risk is necessary for overall wellness; physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual risks.  For me, motorcycling fills that need.  It takes strength, stamina, and learning new information to take off into the world astride an iron horse.  You deal with the gamut of emotions, from fear to exhilaration to love. And, while communing with nature, or working through sticky situations, there’s a lot of praying going on!

Everyday things involve risk; jobs, relationships, school, sports, and even deciding what to have for dinner.  But, as the poet says …the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. If you risk nothing and do nothing, you dull your spirit. 
 

Recall the risks you’ve taken in your life.  You survived, smarter and re-energized. 

Think about things you’ve considered doing, but the risks have seemed too great, the price too high.  Maybe you’re still wanting; maybe you’ve 'settled'.  

As we venture into this new decade, ask yourself what it is that you really, really, really, want to try.  Calculate the risk involved.  Then see what you can do to minimize that risk but still have the experience.   I’m convinced that’s why the good Lord made helmets, leather chaps, high-top boots, and crash bars.