Being Scared
Dad here -
In my life - one of my deepest regrets is that if I am not good at something - I fear doing it. If someone asks me to play golf - I won't do it because I am afraid that I will show someone my lack of skill. If I am asked to act or sing or do anything that I have not previously accounted for or acquired a skill level my immediate response is to shy away from it. This is not a good thing. And it terrifies me - that at my age - and my comfort level in life that I still feel this way.
I have also shied away from professional opportunities because I am afraid of failure. I wish I could say that you should never be afraid to fail. I can't say that. What I can say is that people will respect you more if you try. In the long run - having the right attitude and trying is much more valuable than having a bad attitude and excelling.
I wish for both of you that you always put yourself out there and be vulnerable and try. If you do that you will find your universe expanded and you WILL surprise yourself. You will make more friends. And you will garner a deeper respect from those friends by having the right attitude towards the unknown.
Man came out of the cave - saw the sun. Some ran back in afraid of what the sun would yield and some went out to create the world. Be the latter. Because those people are your ancestors. The ones in the cave - they died without knowing what life really is... and life is about experiences. Don't be afraid of believing in yourself. Because I believe in you - and I will always be there to pick you up, dust you off, pat your ass, and tell you to get back in there and try again.
I love you both,
Dad
