Monday; October 12

Of all the historic figures to have their reputation take a whack over the last few years, few of them have been hit any harder than Christopher Columbus. The man who was said to have opened up a “new world” – and subsequently have a day remembered for him – is not nearly as popular as he was decades ago. I am not here to defend what he did centuries ago, but on the day that many places still honor his legacy, I would like draw upon his memory to challenge us. The reason Columbus became so popular was that he was willing to take risks to broaden himself. Whether driven by opportunity, information, finances or a quest for adventure; Columbus was willing to leave the comfort of his own homeland and see what was out there in the great big world. While there is a discussion as to whether he “discovered” the world, one thing that can be said for him was that he “experienced” new and exciting places. Again, I am not defending what he did when he arrived in those places, but I am intrigued by his willingness to take the risks to expand his world.
The older I get, the easier I find it to become settled in my own little world. I like being comfortable and take solace in the tried and true; yet I wonder if my comfortable life is limiting my personal joy and satisfaction. There are a lot of things I have not had the chance to experience – and if I stay at home and never take risks – I will leave this earth missing out on some incredible adventures I could have easily enjoyed.
Let’s get off our proverbial couches and conquer our own new worlds. We may not change history, but we will overcome boredom.

Think About It!

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