The Dilemma

One day while cleaning some old stuff from my parents' house I found this. It was buried in the bottom of a folder, in box in the basement. One of my teacher's in high school gave me to and at the time it inspired me. I can't believe I let it disappear to the bottom of a box in the basement like that. Maybe if I saw it more often I would become tone deaf to its message. Anyway, even though the paper is worn and smells a little of mildew it still has a deeply profound message. So I figured I would leave it here for prosperity. And more so that I would never lose it again, and be able to look at it whenever I felt necessary.

The Dilemma

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool
To weep is risk appearing sentimental
To reach out for another is to risk involvement
To expose feelings is to risk rejection
To place your dreams before the crowd is to risk ridicule
To love is to risk not being loved in return
To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure

But risks must 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 cannot learn, feel, change, grow or love. Chained by his certitudes, he is a slave. Only a person who takes risks is free.

Author Unknown