1 in 1000

There's this guy I know. He's real into self-preservation. Don't get me wrong, he likes to be around people. He's real friendly and everything. But he is guarded. I would say he has a different mask for each occasion, but it's more like one really futuristic mask that changes color and shape on the fly. It keeps the important stuff hidden and safe.

Yeah, he's pretty well protected inside the walls he's built. Never lets anyone inside. See, there's a little kid in there that is still alone and scared. That guy is protecting that little kid. If he opens the door, shining light into his deepest hopes and dreams, some of that light might fall onto his insecurity and fears as well. So he keeps everything locked up tight.

This other guy I know is the opposite. Wears his heart on his sleeve. His friends think he's pretty naive... he takes people at their word. When he meets someone new, he looks them in the eye. Deeply. He looks into their soul and invites them into his. Once in a blue moon, he connects with another naive dreamer. Someone who isn't afraid to love fearlessly.

Love fearlessly? Don't get confused here, this is important. I'm not talking about lust or romance. I'm talking about something deeper than that. When you get it, you connect at a level that goes beyond words. It can be love of a friend, brother, sister, parent, spouse, or child. Fearless love doesn't just break down walls, it makes them disappear so completely it's like they never existed. That's where true freedom lives.

Most people can't do it. It leaves them too vulnerable. The few that can are only successful to varying degrees. So what do you do? Do you hold onto that hope, waiting for someone else to take the first step? By no means. You dive in whenever you can, to whatever degree that you can. Love without fear, condition, or reservation. I'm not gonna lie to you...it'll break your heart 999 times out of 1000. The 999 will leave you with incredible stories of adventure, struggle, overcoming, hope, new life, redemption, failure, isolation, and brokenness. But that one...number 1000...that one makes it all worth it. Every time.