A Ship in Harbor Is Safe, but That's not Why Ships Are Built."

Here are my two favorite sayings from fortune cookies:"Beware of cookies bearing fortunes," and "A ship in harbor is safe, but that's not why ships are built." I like the first for its absurdity. The second is mostly true, but a ship in harbor is not completely safe. It is usually safer there than away from harbor. If we want to progress we have to get out of our comfort zones. Sometimes there are setbacks, but we have to take chances. Sometimes this even means getting away from cliches and finding our own way of speaking. That does not mean leaving the safety of our harbors at the wrong time. I am not saying to wait until circumstances are ideal, but not to leave the harbor when there are dark storm clouds forming. I learned that lesson when I went to Rhode Island. I din have some fun there, but the cost was very high. I should not have ignored the warnings. Another of the warnings I should have paid attention to was that this jerk was insisting on my changing my last name to his. I kept saying that I wanted to wait until the time was right, and I wanted to hyphenate it. I don't think either of us really heard what the other was saying when we were discussing that. The main way in which I want to leave my harbor is to speak up against injustice and prejudice not matter what the circumstance. I am not always comfortable doing this, but my comfort is not what matters. With practice it is becoming easier. It does not always make me popular, but it can make a difference. I have been guilty too often of remaining silent in the face of injustice. No longer will this be true.