Taking a Risk

As I look back over my life, I suppose I am a bit of a risk taker. Wait, let me correct that, a cautious risk taker. The best way to describe that is I tend to weigh the consequences, make sure all of my bases are covered, then spring into action.

For example, falling for and entering a relationship with the egyptian.

I knew we would have a bazillion things working against us. He was younger, from a foreign country - heck, not even a foreign country, a completely polar opposite culture/religion. The bumps and bruises we have endured along the way would break any couple. I am soooo happy to report, we are absolutely stronger than we ever were. There is a balance of power (finally,) a sense of teamwork, and personally - that's all I ever really needed.

Most importantly, there is love. Lots and lots and lots of love. We have that same passion we once had in the beginning, except now it is sprinkled with acceptance, compassion, and patience. Thank GOD I did not listen to the naysayers and run straight to a divorce lawyer when times got tough. It's so easy these days to do that. Instead we decided to hang on and ride out the storm.

There is no sense of urgency, or control. I think losing everything ended up being exactly what we needed to gain a sense of balance again. He is where he rightfully should be, the head of the house, yet he is encouraging me to do the absolute best I can do and still try for success. It's a good feeling.

The risk to fall in love with him was great. The risk to stick with him was even greater. Guess what? It worked out in the end.

That's all that matters.

I about to embark on a different kind of risk. I am toying with the idea, and one minute I am like - YES, and the next minute, I begin to think to myself.. hmm....

I think I am going to go into business for myself. I have already decided to start freelance writing, but now I think I might try something else in addition to that. I believe I might start a very small business, one where I reach out to other small businesses and non profits and offer an a la carte service in promotion/marketing/public relations. Keep it simple, keep the costs down, and make it afforadable to the average Joe.

I have all of the tools in my brain. I have all of the connections needed for both Middle Georgia and most of Alabama and Pensacola. Heck, why not?

I am toying with a name, and logo. A mission and plan. A kit to promote and people to contact. It's in the works. Heck, nothing else is happening, and it's something I know I can do, so why not do it?

Risk. It might just work out.

What is the greatest risk you ever took?

Wrong?

Guest Blogger: Dewin

*Dewin is actually one of the first blogs I followed and vice versa. She found me quite by accident, and bestowed a Sunshine Blog award upon me. From there, I have met one of the most fascinating, intelligent and deep thinkers I have known. Her blog is inspiring and raw and real. She is an artist - a photographer - and here is one of her pics. Enoy!

When I go to a restaurant, I am notorious for ordering the same thing every time. On the occasion that I stray to other parts of the menu, I always seem to be disappointed with the outcome. And, so I politely push the menu aside and repeat my order word for word from my last visit.


In this life, it would seem we have endless choices. Where we go, what we do, who we associate with, who we love. When you are young, people tell you that you can be anything you want to be. Every children’s theme park encourages you to dream, and dream big. But somewhere around age twelve that stops. As we travel the familiar journey from junior high to high school to college to the “real world”, our path gets narrower. We get the grades to get into the college that supposedly gets us the job that allows us what is called “upward mobility”. This tidy plan has a certain momentum that seems to increase incrementally until we can’t even see in any other direction.

A friend told me a story this past weekend about a teacher she knows. This teacher has a teenage son who attended the elite private high school where she worked. Yet, he continually became more aloof, one day telling her that he hated school. His mother was heartbroken that he would hate anything. So, she made a choice. She pulled him out of school, bought an RV, and they traveled around the country for a year.

So, I wondered which is better- more choices or less? I asked myself: why do I prefer fewer choices in a restaurant? Because when I order something that is not good, I am angry with myself that I made the wrong decision and wasted my money. So, I continually order the same thing so that I can never be wrong, thereby always being right. I never venture out of the safety zone for fear of things being worse. Thus, the reason for the path.

Human beings have unknowingly lessened their choices by decreasing the size of their world into a nice manageable mass. The universe can’t possibly contain other life forms. Earth is the only planet worthy of such advancement. And the universe shrinks into a single planet. Other countries/religions/cultures/languages are inferior, even evil. And the planet shrinks into one country. My path in life is to go to school, go to college, and get a job. And your life shrinks into a credit card commercial.

People enforce limitations on themselves and their lives for the sole purpose of not being wrong. They don’t want to worry that maybe they made the wrong life choice, so they simply take away all the other choices. They are safe. And, if anyone around them veers from their rat maze, they condemn them as wrong, or even crazy.

But what if we were a little crazy? What if we ended up being wrong? Would that be so wrong?