On taking risks
In the book "No Excuses," written by Jay Rifenbary, each chapter begins with a relevant poem. The author is unknown for the following poem from the Introduction:
To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another 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 risks need to be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love ... live.
Chained by his beliefs, he is a slave; he has forfeited his freedom. Only a person who risks is free.