But To Risk We Must

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To cry is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out to another is to risk involvement.
To explore feelings is to risk exposing our true self.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try at all is to risk failure.

But to risk we must,
Because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The man, the woman, who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.

They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot feel, learn, change, grow, love, live.
Only a person who risks is free.