I'd Like to Thank...

Watching the Oscars, we all imagine what it would be like to stand up there in front of god and everyone, statuette in hand, and give the speech of our lives. Being a self-proclaimed neurotic, I imagine myself tripping up the stairs, arriving at the podium with my tie crooked, stammering over my words, forgetting to thank my wife and getting cut off by the swell of the pit orchestra. It's the most embarrassing moment of my life and one I would replay in my mind forever. What could I have done differently? Where did I go wrong?

The bigger question lingers. Is my life better off without that moment ever happening?

There is great truth to the adage, "the bigger they are, the harder they fall." The greater the heights you achieve, the greater the distance to the bottom. At the Oscars, for example, there's no greater height. Wear the wrong dress or say the wrong thing in your speech. and the next morning you can find yourself 30 stories below street level. Soaring highs bring even deeper lows.

So is it worth it? We all experience such highs and lows. They may not be an appearance at the Oscars, but weddings, children, job promotions, you name it. With all of these things, comes greater risk. Much of that risk is actually learning what your limitations are. And are you prepared to face them? The challenge is learning to face whatever shortcomings that surface and looking beyond to what are your gifts and blessings.

In the end, complete and utter disaster is always worth the risk. Otherwise, what is the point of living? At least that's how we comfort ourselves in a valley of despair and loss. You can try to escape to an ashram or kibbutz and never have to face the real world. But life will find you there, too. The best option is to always face every challenge and take every risk, even if it means teetering on an even deeper abyss.

Now, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my mom and dad, my lawyer, all the people at livejournal, my six grade teacher Mrs. Sterling, and my three cats, Emma, Gracie and Bea and most of all my beautiful and supportive ... [music].