A few weeks back my youngest came across this picture and she said to her mom: Remember when no one wanted us to go on this rock? Like everyone was so scared that we would fall and die. But you know what? If we didn’t go on that rock we would never have had THAT view.
Now, in “everyone’s” defense (grandma, papa, aunts, uncles) there was a pretty sizable drop off at the edge of that rock. And by sizable I mean that winding road you see was directly below our dangling feet. Me being the safety 4th person, though, I figured I’d bring my kids to the edge first (one of the cousins snuck in) to show all it was safe (or maybe that I was willing to risk their lives?!?…either way, probably not a very well thought out plan).
To save the suspense – all four of those kids made it back down…via the hiking trail. Not by going over the edge.
Risk is a tricky thing. I was pretty confident that all, if we walked slowly and carefully without quick movements, would be able to sit and enjoy the view safely. But it also takes one trip….
We function in a world where medicine is unbelievable. We don’t even know the names of half the diseases that others had to worry about 100 years ago because of vaccines. But it only takes one new strain to rip through a world….
We can have someone enter our lives. We think through whether it’s a person that we want to deepen the friendship or relationship. We tell them things. We are vulnerable around them. Trust is built. But it only takes one situation….
We can interview for a job. Think through if it’s a great fit that matches your skill set. In fact, you would thrive in this setting. The people are great. But it takes one shift in management…or a pandemic…
I joke about being a safety 4th person. But honestly, I’m not a big risk person. Ask my wife. I can’t even make a decision about inanimate objects like buying a tent without thinking that is it going to break my heart by leaking in the first rainfall. And so I research some more because I want to see all the angles and possibilities of materials that will provide the best camping experience we will ever experience in a tent…sad…but, yes, also true.
If that happens with tents you can imagine my caution with things that actually matter – like relationships or my job. And so risk, that tricky little thing, can paralyze me. And so I do nothing. I might live in a safe bubble. But I also find that I can miss the view.
This current state that we are living in has exacerbated the fear and anxiety that risk can bring out. It’s reminded me of why I try to think through all the angles, the if/thens of life.
I think for most of us this time has us living in our heads…A LOT. We have done a lot of risk management with our relationships, finances, interactions. Rightfully so. COVID has forced it in front of our faces. It pushed us outside of our oftentimes comfy worlds. Maybe all this time we are living in our heads we should ask the question: what am I scared of? I’m NOT talking about whether or not to go to grocery store, or actually anything COVID related at all.
But where is there risk in your life that has you running? Risk in opening yourself up to a nutritionist (What will they think of me? What if I’m not doing it right? What if I’m judged?) Risk in taking that job that deep down you think you want (What if I don’t like the management? What if the company fails? What if the package isn’t as good?) Risk in making that call or sending that text to a person that you think needs to be reached out to (What if they think I’m being nosy? What if I’m wrong and they are fine?)….all good questions. Risk needs to be assessed.
But it CAN’T paralyze you. Or else, you just may miss the view. Taking that job or starting that business or growing a friendship or a family or hiring a nutritionist or actually doing a workout from your house…It’s also where you can get: A view of yourself or another person or what you are capable of handling or what you are capable of doing or seeing or ways that you learn about who you are.
What a full view to start to embrace. Especially of yourself.