“I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately, I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, To put to rout all that was not life and not when I had come to die discover that I had not lived.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
I don't know. I haven't faced those enemies. If I had to guess, I'd probably say that in a life or death situation, I'd freak out and talk everyone around me to death.
But I'm working on my everyday bravery. I'm doing hard things. I'm stretching myself more than ever before. I'm doing things that scare me. I'm taking risks.
I was speaking with a woman the other day. She showed me photos of her family's trip to Asia. I told her I'd love to go. I'd love to take our family on a adventure but the thought of getting on an airplane with two babies scares me to death.
She looked me in the eye and said, "Don't think about it. Just do it."
Indeed.
If people knew exactly what they were getting themselves into when they start a new venture, nobody would do anything. My husband never would have gone to law school. We would have never had children. We would never have bought a house or got a dog or started our own businesses or taken our children to Disneyland. Not if we knew ahead of time what was in store for us.
I'm still not getting on an airplane for twenty hours with my babies, but I'm going to leap more. Push more. Seek out opportunity. I want to suck the marrow out of this life.
Here's some food for thought: What is it you want? What's holding you back? Fear?
Come on. Jump with me.
Stumble It!
12 comments:
very well said...now if only things would work out the way you want them too even when you do take that leap, sometimes they do, sometimes they don't...and I don't blame you for not wanting to get on an airplane with the babies, I had to do that for a funeral when my kids were 3 and 1 and it was a nightmare!
Just do it. Asia is TOTALLY WORTH IT. I lived in Japan and traveled with a 3 year old and a 10 week old. It's great, international airlines offer fabulous service.
Mmmm...great post this morning. I will carry this one around today and see what my life brings me.
Reminds me of a statement I wrote across the top of my textbook covers in high school.
"What great thing would you attempt to do, if you knew you could not fail?"
I'm still working on an answer.
I was thrust into bravery and highly recommend it.
Great post...I have really been trying to do one thing everyday that scares me a little and it is exhilirating! I am working on starting a little business and it can be scary making contacts and asking store owners if they are interested in working with me. But, as scary as that can be for me, it is MUCH scarier to think of being at the end of my life and having regrets about what I didn't do because I was afraid. One of my favorite quotes is from Gen. Patton: Courage is fear holding on a minute longer.
great post... fear paralizes me... a lot... i will be braver!
here's to sucking out life's marrow!
Fear is big in my life too. Being stuck in a relationship where I am not valued or loved, but fear of leaving and doing something different has kept me here. Fear of being alone after 34 years of a lousy marriage. Fear of loneliness.
It is overwhelming.
Today would be my 34th anniversary. Didn't even say the words today. I feel you have to have a marriage to say Happy Anniversary. No marriage is left any more.
Oh I love that quote! And your blog design is so adorable!
You have a beautiful little girl!
♥
Pearl
What a wonderful post! Fear is immobilizing. I am embarking on my thirties and I am trying to overcome my fears.
Thank you for your encouragement!
you can always start small and take a cross country trip. Don't go on a little plane, those are kinda rough ;). but the little planes I'm talking about are only the ones that are for flights that are less than an hr. Seriously, people fly every, single day! I fly a few times a yr and I love flying and traveling. Do some research on how to occupy kids while flying and you'll be fine. I promise ;)
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