Risking Freedom

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.

　　To weep is to risk being called sentimental¹.

　　To reach out to another is to risk involvement.

　　To expose feelings is to risk showing your true self.

　　To place your ideas and your dreams.

　　before them is to risk being called naive².

　　To love is to risk not being loved in return.

　　To live is to risk dying.

　　To hope is to risk despair，and to try 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 and becomes nothing.

　　He may avoid suffering and sorrow，

　　but he simply cannot learn

　　and feel and change and grow and love and live.

　　Chained by his certitudes，

　　he is a slave，

　　he‘s forfeited³ his freedom

　　Only the person who risks is truly free.