Risky Business

We take risks everyday – granted, some are bigger than others. But they’re a necessary evil in life. We take them to get ahead in our profession, to make an extra buck in an investment, or to take a chance in love. Usually we can hedge our bets in money matters by formulating a plan B, but there are no back ups when it comes to matters of the heart.

I recently met a woman – incredibly beautiful, intelligent, a devoted wife, a loving mother, and a successful leader in her profession. But somewhere along the line, this picture perfect life became marred by her husband. The same husband she married for love – not for money, willingly – not by settling, forever – not until he got bored of it. Who would’ve thought that the same man that vowed “till death do us part” could now bear to live without her? Yes, divorce is quite the norm, but why do people even get married if they go into a marriage keeping divorce as an option? (A note to all the finance majors: I hope this isn’t what the class “Future and Options” was about in college).

It makes me wonder if “commitment” and “loyalty” are just empty and hallow words like that of most men’s hearts. Seems as if the meaning of risk is changing in itself, where staying on top means running someone down, and love means no strings attached. But living a life without taking risks is like – for a lack of better analogy – eating an orange with all the juice sucked out of it… there’s just no flavor to it.

Maybe it is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all. Maybe you can only truly start building your life after it falls apart.