The Safety Zone

   Today I was watching a group of children playing tag. One child ran quite a ways across the playground. When he touched the wall he yelled “Safety Zone”. His pursuer stopped, changed course and ran to catch another stray kid. There was also another child who stayed very close to the Safety Zone. One hand almost touching the wall constantly. He never was more than a step or two away from the wall. The first boy as soon as his predator was locked on to the next target, took off like a rocket back across the playground into what I assumed to be the Unsafe Zone.

   At first I thought the child that stayed close to the safe zone the more wise and prudent child. The other child I considered to be unwise and quite careless. However, after a few moments it became quite clear who was having more fun. The child that hugged the wall was never even on the radar of the “it” child. His fear kept him quite safe, but also quite out of the loop. As the game wound down, the children running everywhere went on to something new. But the child in the “Safety Zone” lingered there awhile longer unsure of what had happened to the game.

   We have Safety Zones all around us daily. We have bicycle lane Safety Zones, we have school, work, sport, parking, and playground safety zones. What personal “Safety Zones” do we have? Do they really keep us safe, or do they keep us from fully engaging in a world of endless opportunities and possibilities?

 An elephant as an infant is cuffed to a chain and stake, limiting it's ability to move around. As this elephant grows and becomes an adult the cuff and chain remain the same. Even a small pull in a new direction would surely grant freedom. But he has learned that when the cuff is present he cannot be free. His shackle keeps him in the safety zone of someone else's making.
   I am not advocating caution to the wind. I am merely suggesting that if we do not frequently test the safety zones in our lives, progression is very limited. Open your heart and your mind to something new, and yes sometimes intimidating. Take more then a few shuffles from the boundaries we create for ourselves. Or, remain “safe” thinking and doing the same thing over and over, but expecting the same result.....wait that is what insanity is. Do YOU always color in the lines?