Lost in a Sea of Light

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental,
To reach out for another is to risk involvement,
To expose your feelings is to risk exposing your true self,
To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss,
To love is to risk not being loved in return,
To live is to risk dying,
To hope is to risk despair,
To try is to risk failure,

But risks must be taken, because the greats 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 cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live. Chained by his attitudes, he is a slave who has forfeited his freedom.

Only a person who risks, is free.

>>>Anonymous

This is an old quote that has carried me through some tough times. I first came across it 9 years ago and have tried to live by it ever since. Granted I fall over every now and again ... but I keep the quote in sight.

A few years after I adopted the above quote a professor made me write the following on a piece of paper and put it in a safe place. I still have this piece of paper and refer to it often for many reasons:

1- it's a valid quote
2 - it reminds me of a trying time in my life
3 - more importantly, it reminds me of a wonderfully fun time in my life

To thine own self be true >>>Shakespeare