Can’t protect you from everything

It starts with our children, but it escalates from there. From our technology and vehicles to the laws that stream out of the courthouses, we find ourselves in a world where people are constantly trying to childproof life. No matter what front you find yourself on, everything we have is set-up to remove the risk from anything we do. Tragically, the other day an elderly woman was struck and killed by an Uber driver. Well, if you saw the video, you would have realized it was pitch black and impossible not to miss the woman. Any one of us would have hit that person. When you walk out the door, the instant your feet hit the pavement there is going to be risk in everything that you do. There is an inherent danger that anything and everything that could happen to you. No matter who you are, you can’t mitigate life. You have every chance in the world of catching a disease or getting hit by a bus. The only thing that makes any difference is you.

You can’t remove the risk from nature, going out in your backyard could just as soon find a four-leaf clover as it could a branch falling on your head. With that thought in mind, that shouldn’t stop you from trying to go out and accumulate experiences and knowledge. Life is defined by the choices we make and the risks we incur, by simply enjoying life and trying new things we expand our horizons and ability to cope and understand. Simply observing as a passerby deprives us of the knowledge and wealth of enjoyment that can come from being and active participant. You don’t have to put the gloves on to handle everything, but by making informed decisions and giving new things a chance, we can become more aware of what is or is not harmful to us. Risk has always been a part of life, which is why failure is such a terrific teacher.