ARE YOU PLAYING YOUR MUSIC?

Flower and plants for sale - “One generation plants the trees, and another gets the shade”

We visited friends recently and sat outside where we watched paragliders and hang gliders soaring overhead. They rose up into the sky upon invisible warm currents of air and floated effortlessly by -- trusting in their equipment and their ability to keep them from crashing into the earth. But isn't that risky? Perhaps it is, but what a thrill to experience!

My son is a rock climber. Using toeholds and fingertip holds he makes his way up the shear face of a cliff. Though he fell once and broke his arm, he's back out there again. Why? Isn't that risky? Perhaps, but he likes the feeling of satisfaction of conquering the mountain and succeeding at a difficult endeavor.

We live in wonderful ski country in Utah. But did you know that numerous people die every year of skiing accidents? Not that skiing is so dangerous, but there is a certain risk factor in all sports.

And one doesn't have to participate in sports to take a risk. Just buy stocks and bonds! I've been told that October is one of the riskiest months to buy stocks. The other dangerous months are January, February, March, April . . . .

There is risk in all of life. But we have a choice: we can either live fully or live in fear.

Queen Margareth II of Denmark once said, "I have always had a dread of being a passenger in life." She never wanted to sit on the sidelines, be a spectator or just go along for the ride. Life is for living, not watching.

May Kay Ash, founder of the Mary Kay Company once remarked, "Most of us die with our music un-played." At the end of your life, you may have played it safe. But is your music still un-played?

I don't want to die before I've lived! And when I'm ready to go, I still want to be playing my music.

From Lifesupport.