Risky Business

Life is too short. I know, shocker, but the fact that its obvious doesn't make it any less relevant. It just seems more and more apparent to me now as I work with the elderly. One of the residents talked about how Langdon Place gets new stuff all the time because the residents who die leave their things behind. That, tied with the fact that one of my resident friends is dying, has made the above statement a thing that all but consumes my thought processes of late. He and I talked, and one thing stood out above all else. He told me to take any opportunity I see, regardless of the risks. This was not exactly what I had expected, but after thinking about it, it makes sense.
This, of course, doesn't mean that I am going to take astronomical risks without due reason, but rather that the next time I'm in a situation where I see possibilities, I shouldn't dismiss them just because of potential danger. In short terms: Live in the now, but don't forget about tomorrow.
This may seem to be a little off topic, but I'd like to use the concept of religion as a model. There are two possibilities: either there is a god, (or gods, depending on your religious preferences,) or there isn't. If there is a god, then our actions on this earth reflect a glimpse of our soul. Since no one knows the exact nature of god, one can only set their moral standards based on their own conscious. To do otherwise is just lying to yourself. If there isn't a god, than all that matters is what we do here and now. Without a god, the only hope one can have is that their actions on this earth mattered. My point: Don't let ultimatums be the guide of your conscious, unless your the one who set them. "You can't change the direction of the wind, only adjust your sails."
Unfortunately, know one can know for sure if there is a god; that's why its called "faith." So, keeping in mind our own mortality, it seems to me that whether or not there is a god; what we do here is of the utmost importance. So, the next time you have a life altering choice to make, and you don't know what to do, think of the opportunities... (but don't forget, god or no god, your choice is what matters the most.)

Thanks,

L.F. Braley