Fear & Risk (This Is Not G Rated)

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all. - Helen Keller

There are things about going outside, away from civilization that invoke a kind of sensuality and satisfaction that simply can not be recreated indoors. The feel of a oool breeze on skin, raising goosebumps on your arms and the little hairs on your neck, moist blades of grass between your toes, or the rough feel of sand in the folds on the back of your knees and in between your fingers. I have never understood why some people avoid these sensations, calling them a discomfort or a nuisance.

Have you ever made love outdoors? Really. I told you this wasn't going to be G-rated. I hope that you have, because it is sublime. There is a unique pleasure of warm skin and cool air, grass, sand, leaves, wood, water, and rock, meshing with another to whom you feel so connected that you find yourself in that intimate situation. But there is something deeper about it than the physical. You must be fearless to leave your comfort zone and open yourself up to the vast outdoors, just for a few moments, to find yourself stripped (literally) of all those walls that make you feel protected. Yes, there is safety within walls, but those walls also hold you captive.

When we give ourselves permission to stop thinking about what could go wrong in a particular situation, and just trust ourselves to handle the possible consequences, we get the chance to experience genuine freedom. What if you tried that really cool thing that you can't seem to get out of your dreams, even though it scares the hell out of you? Maybe it's making love outdoors, maybe it's switching careers, maybe it's changing your lifestyle. It may be difficult, you may have compromises, it may not work... You have worked hard before. You have made compromises before. You have certainly made mistakes before. I can bet that the best, most rewarding things you have ever done in your life were comprised of calculated risks, failures and growth. You are more capable than you think.

I know, some days it takes all of the courage you can muster just to go to your job, and pay your bills and take care of your family. The thought of trying something truly scary, no matter how thrilling it might be, can be overwhelming. So, start small. Get the new haircut. Go skinny dipping. Ask the girl for a kiss. Become a vegetarian. Work up to the bigger, riskier dreams. The only way you can fail absolutely is to be too afraid to try. Just get outside (of your comfort zone.) Just try.