I have been having this thought in my mind about “Going to the Edge“.

Terry Fox went to the Edge, Rick Hanson went to the Edge. What I am thinking is that these were people who had a vision, they did something not knowing they could succeed, but they went ahead regardless.

I am not speaking theoretically, I know I have started to live this way, in small ways, being unsuccessful is a long way from being a failure. Thomas Alva Edison failed hundreds and hundreds of times but he is not thought a failure. We admire these people because more than anything they persevered.

A famous columnist said – I would rather have regrets for the things I did than the things I did not.

Thinking now of my daughter Mandy, and my son-in-law they go to the Edge regularly, not running across Canada or wheelchairing around the world but they do new things, and to places they haven’t been before – they revel being strangers in a strange land or learning a new skill. Life is full.

What if you don’t go to the Edge? Imagine your dream is to visit Niagara Falls, you drive there and as you go to the falls, you drive along the river getting closer to the falls themselves. Maybe it is sunny so you hear the water roar, you see the spray in the air and you haven’t even arrived. Now you arrive at the parking lot, the falls are across the street a block away. Will you be satisfied with  the parking lot, and just seeing the spray, just hearing the roar. No! NO!

You would get out of the car, and rush to the Edge, to see it, to peer down and watch the water cascading down, down, down to the bottom.

A clear metaphor don’t you think, so much of the time we make excuses and stop when we are almost there, we make a a huge effort but stop short of the edge and satisfy ourselves with just the parking lot, and not the Edge.

In the next week I am going to think about this more, and maybe use it for a speech for Toastmasters.  I want to Go to the Edge, and encourage others to do so also. I have seen the smiles, and shining eyes of people who accomplish what they didn’t really believe they could, but they did because they did not stop, they persevered.

Terry Fox went to the Edge with only one leg, yet he ran and inspired millions, and he is synonymous with courage despite obstacles.

I have two legs, I can go the Edge, if I don’t stop myself.

You can go to the Edge if you don’t stop yourself, so  just go, go to the Edge, you won’t regret it.