Turning the corner.

Have you been in a situation where you had to make a major decision but remained frozen right where you were? You felt terrified, wondering what’s around the corner. Maybe it is a jungle out there. Maybe there are wild animals or snakes or other unknown terrors that will make your life miserable. Maybe it is unfriendly terrain. Maybe it is a ‘big, bad world’ oyt there. Maybe… maybe… maybe…

Fear concocts infinite scenarios and all of them seem awful, even if where you are at the moment is not where you want to be.

You start wishing life was like a long, straight road with no twists and turns. No surprises. You could see miles and miles ahead. But life unfolds as a long, winding road with many interesting twists and turns, unlike a long, straight, boring road. You never know what’s around the corner but many sit down just where they are, unable to overcome their fear of turning those corners.

 “There is no illusion greater than fear.” – Lao Tzu

You can choose to do that too. You can sit, watching others pass by and move on. They might push past you, intent on their own lives. A few might stop and offer a helping hand, knowing how afraid you are of what’s around that corner. Will you grasp that hand, pull yourself up and turn that corner? Or will you sit where you are, with others who are as fearful as you are? Your choice.

Feel afraid and turn that corner anyway. Take that leap of faith. You might happen upon a garden. You might face some obstacles. Or new experiences you never would have had the chance to experience had you allowed fear to overwhelm you. What you will learn to do is to live life instead of wasting it by allowing fear to overwhelm you.

“When you come out of a storm you won’t be the same person that walked in. That’s what the storm is all about.” – Haruki Murakami

Will it be perfect? Nothing in life is perfect but as you turn more corners, you will find that life offers you so many more choices and better experiences. Far better than you would have ever had if you had insisted on sitting where you were. So turn that corner and face life head on.