Better Safe Than Sorry?

This past spring I was futzing around in the kitchen while my love packed for a trip. It's always sort of stressful for him to pack; he never knows what to bring, he always is unsure of exactly what situation will come up while he's gone, and he always, without fail, packs way too much.

A couple of years ago we went to Hawaii for three weeks and he packed enough clothing to start his own thrift store when we landed in Honolulu. Unfortunately, he didn't turn his excessive clothing into cash; he just lugged around way more than he needed. But I'm rambling...

The point is, he was asking me some questions about what I thought he should bring, and in my half-paying-attention-way I said, "Better safe than sorry". This isn't really what I believe when it comes to packing, honestly. Today I'll be packing for my own trip, and I'll probably under-pack to the point where I'll be washing my undies on the plane ride home just to have some clean drawers. But I'm off-point again, aren't I?

This conversation got me thinking about that old cliche, "Better safe than sorry". Really? Is that a cliche because it's true? I don't think it's always the best advice. Here are some situations where I think it makes sense.

Better safe than sorry when:

* You are going to go camping in Alaska, alone, and have the option of bringing a shotgun
* You are jumping off a cliff and your friend reminds you that you can't swim
* You are engaging in activities that could get you or your partner pregnant
* You are getting into a car trying to decide if you want to wear your seat belt
* You are in any other situation where true bodily harm could come to you if you did not exercise precaution
But those are pretty obvious - I think we all take precautions to ensure we stay safe and alive. That's why I can't ride roller coasters, jump off the aforementioned cliffs, or eat too much cheese. However, I think this phrase is overused and applied to parts of life where we shouldn't be playing it safe, we should be following our hearts!

These are some situations where I don't think playing it safe pays off:

* You are in a job you despise; you'd rather be painting the toenails of convicts at the local prison than here, but you've got good health coverage so you stay
* You really, really want to be a playwright for preschoolers but your training is in agriculture, so you never make a change because you're afraid
* You've been with your significant other for a while, and the fact that they put on deodorant at least three times a week is the best thing you can say for them...but you keep staying because your dad thinks you need to be with someone from a wealthy family
* You have a great opportunity to travel abroad and learn a new language, but your family is worried Europe is too dangerous, so you don't go
Do you get the idea here? If something excites you to no end but the voices of your friends, family, your own voice, or other organizations are expressing fear that you'll fail or at the very least be worse off than you are now, you might choose to be safe rather than sorry. Again, I don't want you to go do anything crazy, I just want you to follow your light, your excitement, and your passion.

Be Joyful!