Risk

To laugh, is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep, is to risk being called sentimental.
To reach out to another, is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings, is to risk showing your true self.
To place your ideas and your dreams before the crowd, is to risk being called naive.
To love, is to risk not being loved in return.
To live, is to risk dying.
To hope, is to risk despair.
And to try, is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken,
because the greatest risk in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing,
has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing!
He may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but he simply can not learn, and feel, and change,
and grow, and love, and live.
Chained by his certitudes he is a slave,
he’s forfeited his freedom.
Only the person who risks is truly free!