Risk!

For the past few weeks I have gotten up really early (early is a relative term, but for me, getting up with enough time to do more than rush around getting dressed for the day is VERY EARLY).

I have started walking on a beautiful trail by a creek near my apartment. It is lovely, I am in awe of nature and all of God's creation. I now have my favorite spots, where I stop and watch the water, listen to the sounds and breath deeply, this is peace. The other day, I had been walking for over an hour and I had enjoyed every second of the excursion, I had time to think and pray and to just be thankful for all that God has been doing in my life, and I decided that my morning walk was my new favorite thing.

Within a few minutes I saw a couple walking from the opposite direction and they stopped me, they wanted me to know that someone had just seen a HUGE copperhead snake. Those were not words that I wanted to hear, I do not even like domestic pets that much, so the thought of a crazy snake that could hurt me was not what I wanted to hear.

As I was walking away, I immediately began listing all the reasons why I was never going to walk on that trail again. It's just too risky, what if I got bit by a snake, or twisted my ankle, or worse? Isn't it interesting how it only takes a moment to completely change our minds. I had walked on that trail numerous times and never seen a snake, never worried about getting hurt, but one tidbit of unwanted news and I was going to choose to never do something that I truly enjoy because of the rare chance that something bad could maybe possibly happen.

Fourtunately, it only took a minute for me to realize how foolish I was acting. I decided that risk is just a part of life. Everything carries a risk, if something matters, then there is a risk. How sad it is, when people become too scared of something bad, a dissapointment, getting hurt, failing, that they decide to sit down and let life pass them by.

I want to be someone who stands up to the challenges, braves the danger, and lives a life of great joy, not because I never failed, but because I gave it my all and conquered the fear!