What is it like to live with a risktaker?
What is it like, when that person is your husband?
They can be spontaneous. Things happen suddenly, plans change, and you have to learn to just go with the flow, and roll with the waves.
They get passionate. Passionate about big things, but little things too. Life. Music. That green shirt. Grass. It is all or nothing. The passion brings about great satisfaction and joy, but in lack of it, the days can sometimes drag on.
With passion comes the sure-fire heat. And not the type that comes from a stove. I am talking the heat of conversation, the explosiveness of words, the fuel that comes tunnelling forth with great news… and the disappointment that has to unleash with the bad.
Things are always ‘happening.’
Baby girl said to me a while back “you have to be a risktaker.” I was surprised to hear those words from her, until I realised where they had come from.
It was from school, the day before their ‘try popcorn and pineapple’ day.
But when Hubbie is a risktaker, he does things like this:
Over 20 years post his days of climbing monkey bars. Never mind this followed some ‘casual’ drinks. Never mind he was wearing sandals that he could have toppled over in.
Never mind that our daughter was watching him with awe and amusement.
The statement “Don’t try this at home” suddenly had a whole new meaning.
“Don’t try this at school!”
But there is good. More good, than even all of the above mentioned.
Because with risktaking, there is hardly any emphasis of failure. Sure, a healthy dose of fear is there, it is natural… but it isn’t the main focus.
It is just ‘let me try this’ and if it doesn’t work out, then –
“Oh well. Now I know.”
In risk taking, you aren’t left wondering what could have been. Risk taking requires self-confidence, and being your own support group, so you can rev yourself up to go out there, reach high, and try to jump to the sky…
Much like Hubbie did today.
On the outside, as I scolded him and told him to get down, with a smiling baby girl looking up at him beside me, I may have seemed disapproving.
But in all honesty, I want her to be a risk-taker too.
And, so do I.
carcrashgratitude 