Something I learned this weekend...

So, as mentioned in my last post, Overflow was awesome/epic/rocked/etc./etc.  For those who read this & don't know what Overflow is:
it's a large youth conference in South-Western Ontario; it features one keynote speaker plus others & a number of music acts, & there's also activities (e.g. sports, bouncy castles/games, & more).  This year, we had Rich Wilkerson Jr. speak (his uncle was David Wilkerson - founder of Times Square Church in NY & the addiction recovery program Teen Challenge; he passed away just a couple weeks ago, if you weren't aware...).  The big music act that was there this year was The Almost (which I'm actually listening to their CD "Monster Monster" right now... just... as some trivia, I guess? lol).  I also want to note that To Tell, The Light Division, & a couple of other smaller acts were there (including Alisha Mann, to which I wanted to go see her concert, but didn't get back in time to see that one...).  (for more details, you can go to: http://www.overflowyouth.com/)
One of the other bands that I want to make note of as well, was ROYAL.  Awesome, awesome music.  Watch for their new CD out in September (& you can follow them on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/#!/theroyalROYAL ; or Tumblr @ http://theroyalroyal.tumblr.com/)
& so, at that, the main thing that I wanted to bring to attention was simply one of the things that Rich spoke of.  It's something I know I'm taking with me, & a number of my friends, & I'm sure many many more, too.  This 'thing' that he spoke of, was  *insert drum roll here*  :




Taking Risks.  According to a 'study/poll' of sorts that Rich mentioned, 50 people aged 95 or older were questioned about what they would do differently if they could do life again.  The number one answer was, (surprise surprise!) :
      take more risks.
Not change a specific event.  Not say "yes" or "no" to certain questions and choices.  Not say something different.  Not be someone radically different.
      Take more risks.
& this is the point in the blog where I relate it to my own life.
      I know in my experience, risks aren't always welcome.  They're something that are sometimes feared, & not to be bothered with.  However, especially with the way Rich was talking, I've noticed I've missed out on quite a bit: I didn't say "Hi" when I could've/should've.  I didn't give somethings a shot, a try.  Another thing that Rich mentioned (& it's obviously been talked about everywhere; but...) was about how failure really isn't all that bad.
We fear it, too.
      But here's the thing: failure's ok, as long as (as Rich put it) we fail forward.  We don't step back, we keep pushing through.  & if we do that & know that we can do it, we have nothing to fear in taking risks.
I know I don't want to be one of the elderly who look back & think "Dang, I should've taken that step; I've should've dove instead of swam" (as Steven Curtis Chapman sings about in his song "Dive" - good song: go look it up!).
Already, I'm wishing I had've dove deeper, risked a bit of embarrassment, or pain.  After all, by the end of the day, as long as we're alive & not complacent, we can step away from our mistakes & advance our lives, right?
Take a chance, take a risk.  As the great Wayne Gretzky said: "You'll always miss 100% of the shots you don't take"
...
& for the fun of it, here's another quote for you to chew on:
"Why not go out on a limb?  Isn't that where the fruit is?" - Frank Scully