My Favorite Dumpster Find and a Story of Risk

Out of all the treasures I've found while Dumpster Diving (read my tips on dumpster diving), this vintage Risk game remains my favorite. The front of the box says it's from 1968. It survived the constant threat of being trashed for years only to be donated to a thrift store and subsequently tossed in the dumpster behind it.

It's funny that Risk is one of the last remaining physical objects in my house associated with an ex-friend of mine. This former pal has been featured on the blog several times. She helped me with my table craft, she made garden stones with me. We went thrifting together, I shared my favorite art events with her, and we even dumpster dived together.

I wish I could write the details of what went wrong one month ago because that's what writers do; writing our pain is therapeutic. But the story is strange and difficult to convey. Let's just say, I had complete trust in her and she completely betrayed it.

I love to help people. When someone I know needs assistance, I want to be there. Need guidance with your websites? I'll give you pointers. Need a place to stay for a while? Come on over. When you're a giving person, you leave yourself vulnerable. Inevitably, someone will take advantage. Sometimes you'll get hurt.

I got rid of some of the objects the ex-friend and I found together; they're associated with bad memories now. Yet I could never throw away this vintage Risk game. Not just because of its graphic retro shapes and whimsical whale illustration, but because it's my new reminder to keep taking Risks:

Risk making new friends even when old ones have hurt you, Risk trusting people again, Risk putting it out there when you've been hurt so others can learn from it, Risk being vulnerable and helping more people every day and Risk hunting through dumpsters to save neglected treasures like this beautiful vintage board game. 

Every day is a risk in this adventure called life. Bloggers take a Risk every time they publish a post. (Will people like this post? Will they respond? Will it help them?) Risk has gotten me where I am today as a writer and an artist. I'll never regret taking risks, even if a risk I took ended poorly. You shouldn't regret the risks you've taken, either. We won't get anywhere as creatives without taking risks, so let's keep making them!  

Let's take some risks this weekend...

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