To Risk
To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental
To reach out to another is to risk involvement,
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self
To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss
To love is to risk not being loved in return,
To hope is to risk despair,
To try is to risk to 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 live.
Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.
-William Arthur Ward
In my classroom, students will be encouraged to do their best, to explore big ideas, and to fail miserably if that is what it takes in order to succeed, and I will jump in head first to prove to them it is alright to be daring and different. We all need risk in our lives. It is easy to let every day pass without making ourselves uncomfortable, without trying something new, without trying something at all. Yes, you might fail. Yes, you might look silly. Yes, you might be disappointed. But, you may also succeed. "To try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing." I don't want to live my life stuck in a rut. Going nowhere. Feeling nothing. I would much rather risk pain and suffering than let life pass me by without color. Without depth. Without passion. Without feeling. People are watching you all the time...my students will be watching me all the time. I must risk. I must laugh regardless of how I may look to others. I must weep and risk being perceived as weak. I must expose my inner-self even if my skeletons scare me. I must love even when I will not be loved in return. I must hope and possibly be disappointed. I must try and will often fail.
BUT...
I may also find love, success, friendship, truth, fulfillment, joy, triumph, or change.
The risk is worth it.
So I will laugh. I will weep. I will reach out my arms and my heart. I will share myself. I will dream big. I will love. I will hope. I will try.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental
To reach out to another is to risk involvement,
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self
To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss
To love is to risk not being loved in return,
To hope is to risk despair,
To try is to risk to 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 live.
Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.
-William Arthur Ward
In my classroom, students will be encouraged to do their best, to explore big ideas, and to fail miserably if that is what it takes in order to succeed, and I will jump in head first to prove to them it is alright to be daring and different. We all need risk in our lives. It is easy to let every day pass without making ourselves uncomfortable, without trying something new, without trying something at all. Yes, you might fail. Yes, you might look silly. Yes, you might be disappointed. But, you may also succeed. "To try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing." I don't want to live my life stuck in a rut. Going nowhere. Feeling nothing. I would much rather risk pain and suffering than let life pass me by without color. Without depth. Without passion. Without feeling. People are watching you all the time...my students will be watching me all the time. I must risk. I must laugh regardless of how I may look to others. I must weep and risk being perceived as weak. I must expose my inner-self even if my skeletons scare me. I must love even when I will not be loved in return. I must hope and possibly be disappointed. I must try and will often fail.
BUT...
I may also find love, success, friendship, truth, fulfillment, joy, triumph, or change.
The risk is worth it.
So I will laugh. I will weep. I will reach out my arms and my heart. I will share myself. I will dream big. I will love. I will hope. I will try.
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