Day 28: Risk Pays.

It does, risk pays. And sometimes even in cash. Oh good, I've managed to make myself sound like a prostitute one sentence in.

Here's what I mean, risk is simply setting stakes, putting up an ante of some sort. With every ante you either win or lose in most games, but I'm learning this risk business is win-win - even when you lose. Are you lost? Sorry, let me reach for something resembling clarity.

When you risk something, you put yourself on the line - and you will always come out of it. Even if you lose everything, you have pushed beyond a once-perceived limitation. You have a new threshold, new parameters: you always win, even if you think you've lost.

YESTERDAY'S CHALLENGE:

So for one hour last night, it was just me and my thoughts. It was a rough start. Anyone who has meditated on a regular basis knows the first few minutes are a struggle; once your surroundings are silent your mind gets loud. But after about ten minutes you stop judging your thoughts, and you are almost outside of them looking in. You start to play director to these worries, ideas and there it is: peace and quiet. And you. Somewhere behind our computers, out from our televisions, cell phones and iPods...we manage to survive. I'm making this a regular thing. I would love to say daily but for now, I am going to start with weekly. It's as often as I clean my shower, might as well take care of your sanity as much as my tub.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE: Second Sketch.

I have been putting of writing my weekly assignment for sketch. I let me slip a bit in the priority pool, but it's okay - class is Monday, so as long as I am not waiting till Sunday, when it's too late: I am okay with it.