Punchbowl Falls - Should you jump?

Yesterday, my friend Jacqui and I went hiking in the Columbia River Gorge. At the recommendation of a true Oregonian (Emily), we decided to hike the 12-mile Eagle Creek trail.

The trail weaves it's way through a lush forest canyon, passing innumerable waterfalls along the way. The climax of the hike is Tunnel Falls.

As you can see, there's a tunnel carved into the rock behind the falls. You can reach out and practically touch the falls - just don't reach too far - it's a 50ft drop to the rocks below!

On the way back we stopped for a while at Punchbowl Falls

We hiked down to the ridge overlooking the falls, where we met another pair of hikers. Greg was looking over the edge contemplating the 80-ft drop to the water below. I thought about jumping for a second, but decided it wasn't worth the risk. Greg thought differently - he went for it! You can see what the jump looks like here.

Looking over that edge got me thinking about risks. How do we know when to go for it, and when to play it safe? Which risks are worth taking?

Not all risks are jumping off an 80-ft cliff into a pool of freezing cold water ( btw, I'm actually glad I didn't jump this time). Most of the risks we face everyday are not physical, they're emotional. Telling your loved ones how you truly feel is a risk a bet most of us are constantly confronting. Sharing your feelings makes you feel whole, and honest, and light. But what about the other person? What about your relationship?

Relationships and trust are built on honesty.

So, take a deep breath, stop thinking so much, and JUMP!

I think you'll be glad you did.