Just an opinion

Last night as I was going to bed the wheels in my head began to turn, I tried to sleep but I felt I was being pushed to go write my thoughts. I Laid there for a half hour before I decided to give in and empty my self out, what I wrote is below, please let me know what you think!

Taking the Risk

In life we are faced with a myriad of opportunities; everyday chances for new and compelling experiences are thrown our way. Many opportunities may be out of reach, but some are more easily grasped. Yet, if we hold our hand at the ready, it may not always be enough. Rather then a rock - a handful of sand may be placed in our palm. Without carefully holding the sand in place a gust of wind, or a misstep, will take that opportunity out of our grasp, then we are left with nothing.

We all want to live life to fullest. We all hope that when we die we did something worthwhile; something our children or grandchildren will remember for the rest of their lives. We all want to take the risks.

Some risks come and go in fleeting fashion, thrilling one moment, forgotten the next. I saw a film at the Banff film festival once that reminded me of a life lived such a way. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Banff, it is a film festival all about outdoor adventure. Many of you know I was lucky enough to grow up in home where I had endless chances to enjoy nature’s thrills. I am grateful for the memories made with my family in the great outdoors. There is a fine line, however, between enjoying the thrilling sight from the top of a mountain and constantly looking for a higher mountain to climb.

The film I saw was about a woman who took up base jumping as an occupation. If you don’t know what base jumping is, well, the best way to describe it would be parachuting from a high cliff rather then a plane. The risks in such an act are much more infinite then your typical sky dive. To keep it brief I’ll put it this way, your not in open air, your inches from a cliff, and - you can probably imagine - the ground is a lot closer.

This woman lived for the base jump, and each time she had to up the risk to give her the adrenaline rush she so craved. She did this knowing she would end up severely injured or dead at the end of this career. She ended up injured, she could never jump again. At that point, she had to ask herself if it was worth it. The truth was, she had no answer. Her risk was fleeting, it had become the basis of her life, and when she didn’t die with it, what was there left to live for? I can’t speak for her, but to me it seemed as if she almost hoped she had died instead, because then she would never have to work in a cube or just live day-to-day like so many people do, she would have died pursing a risk.

After watching that film it was my turn to ask, what is worth the risk, and what does living life to the fullest really mean? It didn’t take me long to know. Living life to the fullest meant being part of something eternal. Not just something that gives you a momentary high. Thinking of this I knew that the only things eternal are family and religion. Both, although they seem common and everyday, are risks.

We all know the battles that are raging against both of these things. The forces of evil are converging upon us. I sometimes think of it as a superhero story. We all are the Spiderman’s and the Wonder Woman’s and the defenders of justice. Each individual hopes to be part of a cause that will save the world. Many hope they can do this by saving the animals or conserving energy; which does contribute in a small way to a better planet, but does nothing to bring peace or true freedom to a world that seems to be shouting for these things, yet losing them at the same time.

What can bring peace and freedom? Not one single individual, but rather a unit of people who believe in risking popularity and vanity to stand by family and religion. I suggest that what will save the world, rather then having superpowers, is having strength in God and each other. True family and religion are the two things that bring about more caring for one another then any other organization can commit to do. This is not to say that there are no organizations (besides religion) that help people, because there are certainly many. I am suggesting that when people bond together as families and as religions the word spreads faster, and more people are affected. Is working to help others risky? Absolutely, you are placing a part of your hope for a better world on the line.

I write this with as motivation to myself and challenge to others. I am putting my hope on the line by asking anyone who reads this to take the risk. How? Show someone you love them. Don’t be afraid to take that step that will make the unit of people, the ultimate league of justice, bigger. Don’t be afraid to hold onto a pile of sand for dear life. A grain or two may slip through here or there, but we can hold the better part of it together for a better world and a truer and happier self.