I do not make bad decisions

People rarely take risks. This is the reason why boys don't ask out girls or how you never knew that the Moon Over My Hammy plate at Denny's is delicious because you decided to go home at 3AM. This is how you keep moving, but never go anywhere. Playing it safe is life's version of a treadmill.

Life is full of possibilities and your body is capable of many things. For example, Mauro Prosperi survived many days in the Sahara desert after losing his way during the Marathon des sables. And Julianne Koepcke survived after a place crash in the Amazon. I was on crew for almost two years in college, and during winter practices we would go out in shorts, a t-shirt and our bare feet and row at 5 in the morning, sometimes in temperatures close to freezing. The human body can follow the will of the Spirit of you let it. You can do many things.

People today lump their decisions into two categories. A 'good' decision is a decision that will work and a 'bad' decision is any decision that has doubt. These decisions are based on the outcome, rather than what you really want. This is how settling happens. And this is how pirates become bankers.

Decisions should be based on what you want, rather than what may or may not happen. Risky decisions are 'bad' decisions with glasses on. The only difference between a good and bad decision is what you want to do. Discomfort or failure does not equal death. Risk does not equal bad. And safe does not always equal good.

And this is how pirates become the captains they've always wanted to.

Live a little. Have some stories to tell your children, rather than telling stories about your crazy friend who actually took chances.

So go ahead, eat jellyfish at a sketchy Chinese restaurant because you have always wanted to try it. Run three marathons in seven weeks because it might be possible, and if not, at least you tried. Why not try getting something different at IHOP so people don't know what to order for you when you take a bathroom break, or making friends with people you might not normally talk to, so maybe, just maybe, you extend a little bit of God's grace and maybe even learn a new perspective. Try the liver with onions, you might actually like it. And Flatliners won't kill kill you, it just makes your mouth hurt a little, you can push through don't be a baby. Sleep in an alley in NY, you'll save loads of money, you can take shifts with your friend and look out for muggers. Kayaking the ocean? Please, you can do that in your sleep.

Do what you can while you are here.

How will any of you ever know what you are made of or what you really want if you keep running on a treadmill during your youth?

-S