The Courage to Fly

A post at Romancing the Blog made me think. At what point does doing what you want to do in life change from being irresponsible to being courageous?

All our lives we’re told to tow the line, do what’s expected of us, be safe rather than sorry. We’re taught at a young age not to take chances and to fear the consequences of our mistakes. Granted, there’s merit in being cautious and developing a healthy sense of self preservation, but oftentimes our mentors, parents, teachers etc, go beyond giving us the wisdom to keep our hands off the hot stove and instill in us a fear of working without a net. They make us unable to walk in the rain without an umbrella.

Having a fall back plan is great in life, but living your fall back plan first is dismal. I went to college and got a business degree in the mid-90’s not because I loved business administration, but because it was a safe thing to major in. You will always be able to get a job, I was told by family, friends and co-workers. They were right. I can work in any office. And don’t get me wrong, I’ve worked in some nice places and I enjoy the challenge of composing a good business letter, creating a kick-ass filing system and being the go-to girl for computer questions. But none of that compares to finishing a novel, crafting a powerfully emotional love scene or receiving a publishing contract.

The author of the blog entry mentions finally quitting her job and venturing out as a full-time writer. I congratulated her on her courage and commiserated that such a decision has to be met with skepticism from the people in her life. Every day we take chances, some days we win the gamble and some days we lose, but we keep trying.

Here’s to all of us out there who have discovered the courage to fly and are still wondering if it isn’t just a phase we’re going through or a reversion to our irresponsible youth. Keep flapping your wings and ignore the turkeys who want to keep reminding you that you may fail. Remember they can’t fly and they’re more afraid of seeing you succeed and being left in the dust, than watching you fail and having to pick up the pieces.