Not being sure of what to do with one's life, this short span of time, can be somewhat worrisome. Yet, thankfully, things keep popping up here and there to encourage me, to challenge me to take chances and experiment and to try new things and generally just get a feel for life, rather than curl up in the corner where it's safe -- where I can make sure nothing sneaks up behind me.

Part of those "things" that have come up are, believe it or not, quotes. Words. Things in books and things people say and words of encouragement that are passed on to me. Sometimes I feel silly for quoting so much, as if I'm taking shortcuts in my thinking, but then I remember the ending of a movie (and I quote -- ironic isn't it?):

Derek says it's always good to end a paper with a quote. He says someone else has already said it best. So if you can't top it, steal from them and go out strong.
('Danny' of American History X)

So I don't feel too bad. If it's true at the end of an essay, it can be true for the rest of life also -- someone else has probably said it well enough.

First, I'd like to quote Ashley the Wise:

You cannot discover new oceans until you find courage to lose sight of the shore.

That's profound. The whole idea of 'risk' is that it may or may not work out. It might not feel great all the time. It's a chance. It's leaving security and safety and comfort, and putting yourself on the line for something uncertain. But you will never know what "could be" unless you are willing to leave behind "what is".

Another quote that really challenged me comes from Braveheart. Say what you will about the movie, but I love it. And there are so many good quotes/challenges in it. At one point in the movie, William Wallace has a dream about his dead father, who says this to him:

Your heart is free; have the courage to follow it.

I love that. Because it's true. Fear holds us back. At least, it's what has held me back from doing a lot of things, from taking certain 'risks'. Being uncertain about an outcome is enough to make me a little nervous. But I feed that fear, to the point where it cripples me. The power of the quote, to me, is intensified by the fact that, yeah, my heart is free -- Jesus has set me free. I am free from sin, but I am also free from fear.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
(John 8:36)

Finally, I quote Rick Warren, in A Purpose Driven Life:

God develops real peace within us, not by making things go the way we planned, but by allowing times of chaos and confusion. Anyone can be peaceful watching a beautiful sunset or relaxing on vacation. We learn real peace by choosing to trust God in circumstances in which we are tempted to worry or be afraid.
(Pg. 202)

There is a simplicity to that paragraph, but Truth is not always complicated. I won't, I can't, develop real peace, "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding" (Philippians 4:7), by playing it safe. That's not peace -- that's a coma.

So that's what I need to do. I gotta try to put that into practice -- get the little feet moving, take a few steps and see what happens. Life's too short to do otherwise.