Taking a Risk

This piece was not written as a result of a big misunderstanding.  Rather, I wondered after I made a small comment in "Words with Friends" on Facebook if my friend would find the comment funny.  You never know.  Anyways, this piece developed after that.  I am not sure that it has a point - consider it Supplementary Reading.  The material in it won't be covered in the final exam.


It is a risk to say something you find funny.  But then I suppose it is a risk to say anything at all.  Expressing the thoughts that develop in our heads, we can never be sure that others will understand, see what we do, interpret/apply the same meaning and when we find something funny, laugh.  And yet, we put our thoughts, ourselves out there.  We take the risk.

In expressing things through writing, I come up with ideas in my head.  Or ideas arrive in my head.  I carry them, develop them and commit them to paper or screen.  Sometimes I have the honour of connecting with people.  They laugh or some words touch them.  For these reasons, and because writing feels perfect to me, I love writing.

What about those times when we share something and find that the humour, the meaning, the touching significance matters only to us?  What about when we dare to put ourselves on the line and what we fear happens?   No one gets us, our vision is not shared.

Do we deduce from that that we are alone after all?  Is it not worth it to share - does it make us too vulnerable.  Do we stop putting ourselves on the line?

I hope not.

We are all unique - sometimes something that appeals to us may not appeal to others.

Sometimes we may not express the essence of what we meant - the essence that would convey to others that which we try to say.  It mattered, it was funny but we mixed up the wording a little bit or it was hard to convey.

People are not at the same place.  Meaning to one, one day is not meaning to all, every day.

Still though, we take the chance.  I believe we should.  When what we say, in whatever form, touches, connects with at least one other, magic occurs.  What both of us see is validated.  What we feel is comforted, or celebrated.  Maybe we share laughter.

We must continue to dare, to write, to speak.  The times that we end up feeling alone, misunderstood come but so do the times when we reach our goal and touch another.  There is risk but there is also the potential for great reward.

It is so worthwhile to take the risk.

JAHD