Risks

Here is a poem that I have read in various places in Cyberspace ... but when I read it today on Jonny Baker's blog I was reminded of wanting to post it myself. Indeed, risks and freedom are intricately related.

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feeling is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd, is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But the risk must be taken, because the
greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing,
has nothing and is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he
simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.
Chained by his certitudes, he is a slave,
he has forfeited freedom.
ONLY A PERSON WHO RISKS – IS FREE