This week’s 5 Minute Friday is all about “risk”…which makes me quake in my flip-flops a little bit. I never quite know what is going to pop out of my fingertips, but it is so good to just write without over analyzing things.
Here goes nothing…
We sit at Culver’s, the remnants of grilled cheese and applesauce sitting in front of us, when I ask my daughter to go up and order the ice cream. She freezes for just a second, her mind flipping the idea over and over, calculating the fear…the risk…the reward. Finally, she  sets her jaw, grabs her brother’s hand, and walks up to the counter, white paper vouchers fluttering in her hand.
I stay and gaze out into the parking lot, thinking of a younger version of myself, who would have refused the challenge. Terrified to talk to people I didn’t know, self-aware of every defect and flaw, who missed out on more than a few opportunities to grow, get to know other people, and experience new things.
Gnawing on the grilled cheese crusts, I wonder what my “trip to the counter” is right now? I have moved past the paralyzing insecurity, but what remains is just as insidious. Worried about disappointments and scared to fail, I flutter about, giving the appearance of action, but scared to take that one definitive step around an unknown corner.
The kids return, ice cream in hand, with huge grins on their faces. They dive in, chocolate smearing joyously across their cheeks, the reward sweeter because of their bravery. I want to be like them…to step up to the counter and order the next chapter of my life with confidence.
STOP
Hi Neighbor…you did a wonderful job weaving this story…I want to make that order with you:) blessings to you~
Thanks so much for visiting – and I hope you have a wonderful day as well!
ABSOLUTLY LOVE this! I can totally relate! TOTALLY! I want to be brave enough to order ice cream for breakfast and play in the rain with my kids.
Thanks Kelly – me too! 🙂
LOVE THIS! “step up to the counter and order the next chapter of my life with confidence.” I was the shy little girl too who was afraid to approach the counter. Well done.
Isn’t that how many of us were as kids? It’s actually really cool to see my kids being much more “brave” than I was! 🙂
I do this to my kids all the time… it’s amazing how brave they can be and what they can do… my daughter recently got herself into the doctors office, checked in, and was having a follow-up x-ray by the time I parked the car and got the other kids into the building. I just wanted her to let them know we made it – before we were late! Wow….
I sometimes think that we don’t give our kids enough credit.
There is such wisdom in encouraging kids to take those steps of overcoming, and we never really cease being kids do we? I love that there is progression in overcoming. The more we experience victory the more we attain as we go.
Beautiful post!
Thanks Kathy – I love how you said it…”the more we experience victory the more we attain” 🙂