Life in the Grey.

I never want to be a person who isn't willing to view the world outside of myself. There's so much to learn and experience out there... and I refuse to let close-mindedness be the iron fist that rules.

There are so many different lifestyles... so many view points... so many ways of doing things and seeing things... and I want to understand them all. Real life is lived in the grey. Rarely do we find ourselves among the black and white absolutes. Don't misunderstand... there are sure absolutes in this world that I live my life upon. But let us not get confused that everything is so sure and concrete. Many things are not. And we have the opportunity to discover life in a new way when we take the time to dig deeper and think differently than what we are so often used to.

The next time you see something and you think it is wrong, before passing judgement... I dare you to ask why. Don't ever except something just because its what you're used to. Test everything. Understand the meaning behind what you are afraid of. Dig to the heart of the action or the belief. Because what you find there... may surprise you. It may have the power to encourage... to inspire beauty... to uncover real life in the deepest sense.

And so I do.. And I dare you too.. don't settle just for what you know... keep asking why.

Risky Living

"To live without risk is to risk not living.... 

 it knows that the possibility of making a mistake and getting hurt is very real. But without exposure to potential failure, there is no risk..."

- Brennan Manning, Ruthless Trust

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It is true that I often write about risk on this blog... but it just so happens that taking risks is one of the driving forces in my life: to take risks despite the chance of "failure" - whatever that means - so that I may be challenged, forced to learn, moved toward growth and stretched beyond myself. 

There's no doubt that taking risks is scary business... but how else are we to learn the fundamentals of trust if there isn't a little fear involved? 

What if we miss out on His plan because we are too afraid to wait, to jump in, to let go, to give in, to forgive, to love, to correct or to simply let the unknown be the unknown?

Again, it involves trust... being ok with not knowing and understanding that the majority of real living requires a surrendering of control. 

But oh, it is so difficult to live this way! To let go of control and allow for risky living requires constant vigilance of the mind's tendency toward self sufficiency. It takes discipline and intentionality... to run toward fear rather than remain wrapped up in a safety net of routine and familiarity. 

So I ask, what requires risking today? Will trust be enough to do so? Or... will fear rule the unknown and the prospect of getting hurt? 

What's worse: risking something big and getting hurt in the future, or never knowing what could have been if only you trusted?

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Today, these words are written to remind myself.