fear of risk

For the first time in a long while, I feel like writing things down again.



Something that I have been thinking over lately are the institutions of fear and courage.
These are often thought of as opposites, as light and dark are.  Many have heard the argument that regards darkness as simply the absence of light, rather than the opposing force.
A somewhat similar relationship can be drawn between fear and courage, although it is a much less cause-and-effect, and much more extrinsic in nature.  
As I have previously written:
-Fear is simply an emotional factor that provides a limiting influence.
-Courage is the ability to act in spite of the presence of fear.
-Both fear and courage can manifest themselves in varying degrees and through various circumstances.

My considerations have rested, more specifically, on the fear of risk.  It is something that I have found within my own life.  I assume that I am in innumerable company when I say this, but this fear has been a limiting factor to my experience since I have been capable of making decisions.
I don't necessarily mean to represent a traditional sense of fear in this discussion.  It is more of a general lack of willingness to engage in risk, or even seriously consider action that may invite risk.

To the best of my abilities, I attempt to shape my life in a box that I would, by observation, deem to be acceptable.  This is fairly common and completely understandable.  Exploration seems to be a foregone conclusion in an age where you can click a few buttons and digitally tour the Peruvian coast.  There is just such experience to be gained by those who are willing to reach out for it, and I often look back and regret wasting time and opportunity in the past.  My goal is to live presently so that I won't look back in five years with any regret.

Now to clarify, I'm not of the opinion that everyone should run out and try to be the next Steve Jobs, or get double tat sleeves on a whim.  I simply believe that there is no reason to sit around idly wasting potential and possibility in exchange for temporary comforts and feelings of security.  There is great joy in placing intent effort in to something that captures your heart or encompasses your passion.



I did not intend to draw parallels to the act of love.
But I will.  There are parallels to be drawn.

C.S. Lewis struggled with fear of risk in his early life, particularly in the realm of love and relationships.  He later laid down some wisdom on the subject:

"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.
I believe that the most lawless and inordinate loves are less contrary to God’s will than a self-invited and self-protective lovelessness. It is like hiding the talent in a napkin and for much the same reason ‘I knew thee that thou wert a hard man.  Christ did not teach and suffer that we might become, even in the natural loves, more careful of our own happiness. If a man is not uncalculating towards the earthly beloveds whom he has seen, he is none the more likely to be so towards God whom he has not. We shall draw nearer to God, not by trying to avoid the sufferings inherent in all loves, but by accepting them and offering them to Him; throwing away all defensive armour. If our hearts need to be broken, and if He chooses this as the way in which they should break, so be it."

You may be doing others a disservice by allowing yourself to be limited by fear of risk.
For further thoughts to this affect, please see the quote by Marianne Williamson in my previous post below.

If you have the means, get the desire.  If you have the desire, get the means.  If you have the means and the desire, get moving.  See what is possible.

Thanks.