I’ll admit it. I’m a country fan. A huge Garth Brooks fan, in particular, and this song has been stuck in my head recently. It’s about taking chances, living life, stepping out on faith, and risking getting hurt. How we look at people who are truly living from a safe distance and call them insane because of the pain they suffer and the bonkers risks they take.

Another confession – I want to be one of “those people.” I want the world to think I’m insane while I take risks and get hurt, but get right back up again and dance in the flames. Think about fire for a moment. Fire initially destroys whatever it comes into contact with but ultimately fire takes a forest and gives it a brand new start. There are nutrients after a fire that didn’t exist before and the forest thrives like it never has. It makes me look at risk and opportunity a little differently. Maybe it’ll hurt when I take chances and they fail but then the real opportunities come to the surface.

Maybe it’s time to be a little crazy. Maybe we step into the fire, risk a few burns and come out better and healthier than before. Going back to the concept of New Year’s Resolutions – don’t make them. Just walk into 2023 without fear. Walk into the flames, make bold choices, be the crazy person everyone stares at, and walk freely into a whole new world.

Sarah Deats

Sarah Deats is the Hope Inc. Stories Inspiration Engineer. Her goals are to make a connection with everyone that she can while building community, spreading hope, and sparking change. She believes that while life may not be easy, it is never lived alone.