Jump!

There is a Native American saying that advises, "When you are running to something and you come to a gap in the earth...Jump! It is never as far as it seems." Seems to me, they knew something about risk taking. At the moment, to be clear, I am not thinking of the physical risks we take when we go out on big waters. Right now, I am musing about personal risks that involve our sense of security as far as emotions and money are concerned.

It has been said that falling in love is a risk without a net. In doing so, one exposes themselves to the possibility of being hurt in the deepest emotional sense. When that gut feeling happens, however, most of us jump, make the leap of faith and say those three little words. To be "dumped" in such a situation can lead to the deepest of hurts and even loss of self esteem.

Now men (especially) have a lot of their self esteem tied into who they think they are, and most men think they are their jobs. On top of it all, for them to lose at something financial can be equally painful as losing at love. So it is, in troubled economic times such as these, that we look to the risk takers who are willing to put them selves on the line financially in the hopes of doing some good and making a profit. To many of us, these times may appear as the widest "gap in the earth" we have ever seen; but who, amongst us, will just jump and land on the other side? I'm not going no where with this.

Sherri Mertz (seen teaching...on the right) is a well liked and well respected paddler/instructor in the Milwaukee area. She works at a "Paddle shop" on the river that (in my judgment) wouldn't be half as successful were it not for Sherri's knowledge and abilities. There has, apparently, been a gap in her life, something that was not being filled up (to stretch an analogy). So, the other day, she announced that she was leaving the security of her job, forming an LLC (a type of corporation for out of town readers) and going into the teaching business.

She has used her own money to buy equipment and will soon have a web site up (I will let you know as soon as it is running and put up a link). Now, lest you think this is no small act, remember that she is doing this during the worst economic times in an area known for its limited paddling days. Talk about jumping.

The entruepenarial spirit is alive, and I join many others in wishing Sherri the best.

Paddle safe...
DS