One day, towards the end of our tour,
we got an email from one of our kids.
In it, she described going for a six mile run.
The sentence that caught my breath was,
"...I know it's not as impressive as what you and Dad are doing..."
I had to pause.
She measured herself against what we had undertaken -
and that was never anything we ever wanted.
Risk, for me, is doing something in the face of uncertainty and unknown outcomes.
There are many kinds of risk, calculated, foolish,
personal, professional,
physical, financial and emotional.
Waking up in the morning can be risky.
For the men and women we observe today and yesterday -
they risked their lives for others.
Beginning or ending,
starting or stopping,
staying or going,
gaining or releasing,
pursuing or rejecting...
all can be risky business.
We traveled with a group of individuals who embraced risk -
and not the physical kind you might think.
At the end of our tour, we were ask to present a closing statement.
Each person, whether with humor or emotion told of their personal uncertainty,
their challenge, their unknown.
Each person's was unique to themselves, their lives, their limitations and accomplishments.
No one would dream to measure their own tale to the other.
The fact is - they took a risk.
So does the soldier, firefighter or police officer
who perform their daily job with potential threat.
So does the young couple when they
buy their first home at a stab of permanence and stability.
So does the parent when a child is conceived.
So does that teacher when they walk into their classroom.
So does the family provider when the economy threatens.
So does that young man when he applies for yet another job.
So does that woman running her first 5K.
What we want for our children is to take their own risks.
Their own - not anyone else's.
It is from taking risks and succeeding, or more importantly - failing -
that we learn, and find happiness...
or at least risk finding it.
