Last night Ben and I spoke at a school as part of a fundraising evening for Hope and Homes for Children. The charity’s founder, Colonel Mark Cook also spoke. Mark is a very impressive man, with an inspiring life story. At the end of his talk he read this poem, also found in Face Dancing: The Rachel Farmer Trust about the magnificent climber Rachel Farmer who died way too young. It really struck a note with me.

Only a Person who Risks is Free 

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach for another is to risk involvement.
To expose your ideas, your dreams,
before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To believe is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken, because the
greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The people who risk nothing, do nothing,
have nothing, are nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but they cannot learn, feel, change,
grow, love, live.
Chained by their attitudes they are slaves;
they have forfeited their freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.

– anonymous