[font="times new roman, serif"] Adrenalin is pumping. His heart begins pounding wildly against his chest. As the harsh winds whip mercilessly across his face, he breathes at a hysterical pace. “Don't look down, don't look down,” he reminds himself, for the ridiculously distant ground will only heighten the fear of the risk involved. The parachute could fail to open, and he could easily fall to his death. Will he take a risk and jump off the airplane to sky dive or will he surrender?...he jumps. I have always wanted to be like a skydiver--overcome my fears of leaping from the daily routine. Although, I am willing to fly on the plane, I have not collected the courage to jump. Instead, I am weighing the pros and cons of the leap. [/font]
[font="times new roman, serif"] When I think of risk-takers, I think of Martin Luther King Jr. He influenced the change of America from a violent, segregated country into a diverse nation that embraces all races. He was fearless. Despite the numerous obstacles, this hero continued to fight for the humane rights of all people. In his “I Have a Dream” speech, he described his vision of America. He could only hope his actions would cause America's circumstances to improve for his greatest risk lie in the people. They had to accept his dream and make it theirs. Fortunately, they did, proving that risks do not always end in failure.[/font]
[font="times new roman, serif"] Martin Luther King's risks are similar to those I had been avoiding. Playing it safe was my theme song. Vulnerability equalled pain: No new friends-- “They may reject me”; No new sports--“I may get cut from the team”; Avoid conflict-- “I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings.” Less than perfection became less than acceptable. I must always study and always be right because everyone expects me to be . No risks allowed! How can anyone live such a self-restricting life style? They cannot. I was not living at all. Instead, I lived like a pre-programmed robot that feared its owner would buy a new toy if it did something wrong. However, that soon changed.[/font]
[font="times new roman, serif"] During my sophomore year of high school, I made the varsity basketball team. While scrimmaging, I , playing defense, sharply turned and suddenly fell, hearing and feeling the snap, crackle and pop of something in my knee on the way down. Unfortunately my ACL [/font][font="times new roman, serif"](anterior cruciate ligament) had completely torn. This heart-breaking injury led to surgery and nine months of inactivity from sports. Following the injury, my do-it-myself attitude transformed. I could no longer be as independent. I could not walk and used crutches for about two months. Now I would need to rely on others for help, something I had rarely done before. However, to my surprise, complete strangers would open doors, carry my lunch or even hold my books. As a result, over time, I made a few new friends. Being vulnerable was not as painful as previously thought.[/font]
[font="times new roman, serif"] The greater risk, however, lie in deciding to continue athletics and risk further injury or quit sports altogether. The overwhelming fear remained ahead late in the game, but as the clock ticked closer to zero my desire for basketball stole the ball to make the game-winning shot. It was the first major risk I had taken, and it has not failed. Instead, I have gained confidence in my decision-making abilities and have enjoyed sports more than ever before. Finally, life is fun.[/font]
[font="times new roman, serif"] I am in the plane. Adrenalin is pumping. My heart begins pounding wildly against my chest. Will I jump or will I give in to fear? I, like Martin Luther King, will jump because the lessons learned in taking risks are more valuable than those never learned when avoiding the fall.[/font]