Living Intentionally - Break a Hip (Part Deux)

Living Intentionally - Break a Hip (Part Deux)

Without risk, faith is an impossibility. —Søren Kierkegaard

OUR SOCIETY has us all paralyzed with fear that we’re going to get hurt—or worse, fail and then be embarrassed. Well, sometimes we might. But to truly experience life rather than just tick down the days until we die, we have to be willing to fail; to fall; and to succeed. To live intentionally means we take risks while walking in faith, allowing life’s surprises to mold us into interesting people rather than bitter, boring ones. I’m not saying you should be reckless: I’d hate to hear that you went out Saturday night and got a Harley tattoo. But I am saying that many of us miss out on rich experiences because we’re not willing to explore new things.

So what new experiences might make life a little more flavorful this month?

Go to a play.

Travel someplace new.

Research a new line of work or industry.

Take dancing lessons.

Go on a mission or humanitarian trip.

Take golf lessons.

Join a choir.

Go to the symphony.

Take an art class.

Try tennis.

Go back to college (or go for the first time).

Join a book club.

Take up bicycling.

Try just one new thing. You don’t have to adopt it as a lifestyle. You only have to adopt the philosophy of experimenting, with the understanding that it’s okay to fall.

For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. (1 John 5:4)

Girlfriend, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be ninety-three and gray, telling a sad story about breaking a hip as I fell on the way to the bathroom. I want a tale of adventure, and I want it now . . . complete with the success. Yes, my failures (and bruises) were all worth it; clipping in has taken my cycling to a whole new level. And my falls made the success all the sweeter.