Steady now...

To look or to leap – that is the question

Caution or impulse – those are the choices.

Proceed with trepidation or blunder in with blind indifference?

On the one hand it is prudent to consider the implications and weigh the possible outcomes; on the other bold adventure may bring its own reward.

Consider this: you are precipitously perched on a precipice high above the reaches of normal human endeavour, having struggled and striven and resolutely defied even your own lack of expectation. This is new territory; you are boldly going, as it were: these are uncharted waters. Your next move will perhaps dictate the shape of things to come: you are at a crossroads; one road leads to glory, the other – well, best not to go there, perhaps.

So, you consider, you analyse, you mull, in short - you agonise. Inner torment in full flight you weigh it all up.

If you proceed with a tentative toe in the tide you may well avoid, or at least see coming, the one in five wave that knocks you on your ass every time. Alternatively, if you plough straight in, by the time you realise you’re out of your depth you’ll already be swimming – slicing a swathe over the deep to re-evaluation island.

Ultimately you must decide: consider or act. So, what’s it going to be?

And then it hits you; in a moment of brilliant clarity like never before, while perched there on the edge of your morass-like abyss of self doubt, you see in that moment this one inalienable truth: the moment is lost.

Procrastination has defeated spontaneity yet again and robbed you of the opportunity to truly live in the moment.

Deep down you know it would have been better to have felt the fear and done it anyway. Always after the fact.

Next time - definitely. Maybe.

Roy Thompson.