Exploring the Edge

And mapping your path from fear to possibility.

Sketch by Greta Walker Ekman.

Last week, I came across a passage from Kurt Vonnegut’s first novel, “Player Piano.” The story eerily explores a future where machines take over human work and strip away purpose. In it, he writes:

“I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center.”

The edge is where deep awareness meets limitless imagination, the kind of place where discoveries are made and potential takes shape. In nature, it’s where two systems meet, like a forest and a field, or water and land. Those are some of the most ecologically diverse and alive places on the planet.

But reaching the edge isn’t easy. Right now, especially in the U.S., it feels like you have to make it through the eye of a storm just to see the horizon. Many people stay frozen at the center, waiting for the air to clear.

The storm won’t clear on its own. People have to steady themselves and start moving anyway. Part of the struggle is that the brain feels the fear of loss about twice as strongly as the hope of gain. So to meet fear head-on, desire has to be clear and so bold it makes you squirm. That’s how the scale shifts and the path begins to open.

There’s a journey to the edge waiting for each of us. No time like the present to begin gathering what you’ll need.

As a small step, grab a blank piece of paper and pencil:

- On the left, write down your greatest fear right now.

- On the right, write down what you want most. Then make it bolder.

- In the middle, list the people you can lean on and other supports you'll need along the way.

This is a rough route from fear to your edge of possibility.