Felix Baumgartner...wow!!  I salute you sir.  In case you missed it, Fearless Felix leaped from the edge of space to complete the most extreme skydive ever setting three records along the way - highest manned balloon flight, highest skydive and the first person to break the sound barrier without a vehicle.  I guess that makes him the fastest man on the planet today.

Besides its sheer awesomeness - there are apparently practical scientific reasons why this jump is significant.  But I want to focus on its awesomeness.  In a world where it easy to feel complacent and where sometimes it feels as though there is nothing new under the sun...we humans have done it all...it's exciting to think that there are some still pushing the boundaries.  Those who dream a little bigger, look a little higher and say, "yeah, that's possible...let's give it a go."

Jumping off of things is not for me.  In fact the past few years I've claimed base jumping as my biggest fear (base jumping and wild cats).  Just the thought of it turns my stomach - just too many things that could go wrong.  Maybe I'd slip right before I was to jump...or trip...a slight stumble and I wouldn't jump far enough from the ledge and WHAM!!  I end up bouncing off the face of the base.  Yeah.  Jumping is not for me.

It's easy and understandable to become so focused on the things that could go wrong that you never leave the comfort of the base.  But if we all did that, there'd be no Fearless Felix...no risk, no gain.

Surely I have my own metaphorical base that I am to leap from. A lesson from Felix for me is to assess and mitigate the risks...but don't let them stop me from taking the leap!