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Dalton
Roberts |
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In
my journal this morning I found a picture of a mouse perched atop a
cat’s head. Dangerous living for a mouse! It
reminded me of a short piece I wrote one time about walking the
crocodile’s back. It was my phrase for living on the edge of danger. I
am reminded, too, that in the Chinese word for “crisis” there are
two symbols: one is “danger” and the other is “opportunity.” How
many things have you achieved in your life without risk? You would not
have the mate or lover you enjoy if you hadn’t risked rejection when
you asked them for that first date. You would not have a job if you
hadn’t risked rejection. In
my original journal entry on walking the crocodile’s back, I had
dreamed of getting across a small stream by walking on the back of
crocodiles. It was an eerie feeling in the dream. Knowing if I fell I
would be eaten! Certain
types of risk are unhealthy and immature. We saw Evel Knieval break
nearly every bone in his body trying to jump things with his motorcycle.
We see friends waste their limited financial resources taking risks with
gambling. There is a whole world of difference in playing a little
friendly “penny ante” poker game with friends and poking your small
retirement check into a poker machine. Sometimes
we take risks and everyone around us thinks we are a fool. I ran for
public office with less money than it would take to finance an Amish
quilting party. Why? Because I had assessed the situation and concluded
the opportunity outweighed the danger. Sometimes
we have the opposite experience. We think the odds are against us and we
are likely to lose but we feel a need to lay it all on the line for
principle’s sake. Even if I had thought I would lose, I would have
made that political race. I had been unjustly fired after a lifetime of
successful job experience and felt that I had to restore my good name.
We forget it is possible to win when we lose. Simply
ask when you want to walk across a stream, “Is it worth the danger of
walking a crocodile’s back to get to the other side?” If it is, take
the chance. Even if you lose, you will know the thrill of trying. Dalton’s
website has some new “stuff.” Check it out at www.daltonroberts.com.
His writings are gathered at www.ipsfeatures.com.
Write him at DownhomeP@aol.com
or daltonroberts@comcast.net.
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