He was a hard working farm boy.
She was beautiful,
an athlete, popular.
They’d visited for 30 seconds after class and now he was thinking the impossible….
to ask her out on a date.
He’d just turned 16. Never been on a date in his entire life. And yet, as he sat there looking at the phone, the idea wouldn’t go away. He rehearsed his words a hundred times.
He picks up the phone, begins to dial , his fingers shaking, heart pounding. He isn’t even sure he had the right number. After the 3rd ring, a woman answers- probably her mother.
He asks to talk with Sara
“Just a minute” she says.
30 seconds later, Sara gets on the phone,
”Hello “
______________________________________________________________________________
Flash forward 35 years…..I am that farm boy…..and Sara (not her real name) is my wife.
I discovered something inside myself that night- If I feel strongly enough about something , I will put it all on the line.
Sure there are times when things don’t work out, but there are times when it does.
And when it does, the pay off for facing your fears head on, more than make up for the times you’ve landed on your butt.
There’s a quote by Theodore Roosevelt I like:
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.”
So what are you waiting for? 
God’s probably not going to wave a magic wand over your life and make the fear go away. I don’t know who this post is for..but I’m thinking there’s someone who knows what they need to do, but fear has them stuck in their tracks. Take this as a little nudge to move out. Thanks for reading and posting a comment if you’re so inclined.
July 7, 2008 at 7:56 pm |
Maybe it’s more than one person. I recognize that I have allowed a tragic event to “skew my focus” over the last sixteen and a half months or so.
Although I am so full of “head knowledge” and know what I should do, it has been most difficult for me to move past it. Especially knowing of “hidden” events that lead to where I find myself today.
In the end, however, the choice is really all mine. To remain where I am (and who I am becoming) or to get back into the race I had been running and to continue the race.
July 8, 2008 at 2:23 am |
D that is just beautifuls, you two really are amazing and the love that you share shines everywhere you are touching souls as you go. Keep that light shining!
July 8, 2008 at 5:02 am |
Thank you for your comments. When I wrote this one, while I used my relationship with my wife as the area of life to illustrate “laying it on the line”, and stepping out in the face of fear, I could just as easily have used my career, schooling, how we “do church”, even some of the friendships I’ve made via the internet. I read somewhere courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to make the right decisions in spite of fear. Sometimes we just need a cheerleader in our corner.
July 8, 2008 at 5:59 pm |
I just LOVE this post. It speaks to me in too many ways!
I’m timid ~ you’d never know it if you met me.
Fear of success ~ yep. That’s me.
Fear of failure ~ what a wacko I am to have both of these. I’m frozen in between both success and failure.
Bold in a group, but dying of embarrassment on the inside.
Tons of ideas and inspirations but always digging up an excuse as to why I can’t do the thing I know I should.
Thanks, Doug. I needed that.
July 10, 2008 at 1:03 pm |
Doug: Super post! I have been struggling for a long time now with a family issue, and now, just this week, I feel ready to address it. This post helps me to know that when I let go, everything will be okay. I appreciate these words so much…..
July 17, 2008 at 9:32 pm |
“I read somewhere courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to make the right decisions in spite of fear.”
Ehrmmmm…I think I said that in one of our email exchanges….:)…still fits though hard to live up to!
October 21, 2008 at 12:04 am |
This is beautiful!!! I love the idea of marrying your “high school” sweetheart… If I’d married mine I would not be the person I am today!!! Today I am allowed to be me! And I am allowed to grow where and as I please! Its awesome that you found someone who can grow with you from such a young age!!!