Why Bother Taking Risks?

Although I never considered myself a gambler and think I play it safe most of the time, I am now having to reconsider that idea.  I’ve taken more risks in life than I originally thought. These leaps into the unknown, stepping out and jumping in with both feet, by default, make me a gambler.

A Short History of Taking Chances

My first great plunge into unfamiliar territory came at the age of  eighteen. I was anxious to leave home, to be independent and to prove to myself that I could build my own happy life. I did move far away from home and became independent. Happiness came at a later date, but it did come.

The next step I took into foreign territory was the step into faith. Though my parents exposed me to religion, I had no idea of God’s design for me; a personal relationship with him. Somewhere in my early twenties, when I said “yes” to God I plunged into the mysteries of a relationship with my creator. Though there is much I don’t know, I have found solid ground under my feet.   

I am sure I never would have ventured into marriage without having made that first step of faith with God. Accepting my husband’s proposal was by blind faith. The stakes were high as was my vulnerability factor. A union with a man felt extremely dangerous as well as hazardous. There was  no way to predict how well it would turn out. No one can see into the future. Thankfully, the future I could not imagine, has turned out quite well.

Other chances I took included motherhood, returning to school to become a teacher, and most recently, writing and publishing a book.

All of these risks have one thing in common: my willingness to venture out. Exploring unknown territory makes us susceptible to mistakes and possible failure. The moment we decide to step out into the unknown, we are assaulted with ten thousand upon ten thousand “what ifs.” It’s enough to make one close the curtains, lock the door, and never venture outside the comfortable confines of our zone of safety. 

We don’t have to entertain those ideas of exploring what we’ve never explored before nor do we have to pursue new possibilities. We don’t have to go beyond what we seem to know and feel comfortable with. But, if we don’t then what possibilities will we miss? 

Why bother taking risks? Stepping out, making a leap of faith, and exposing ourselves to unseen possibilities only enlarges, enlivens and moves us beyond the pseudo confines of our zone of safety.