The Plank.

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capt.dan
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The Plank.

Post by capt.dan » November 11th, 2022, 11:48 am

When growing up we lived very near a RR track route that went through our town. One of my best friends only lived about 1/4 mile away, when taking the short cut those RR tracks provided. So, I would often see how far I could walk one of the narrow tracks without falling off. I became so good at it; I started wondering if being a tight rope walker in the circus might be a carrier option.

Then one day when dad and I were pheasant hunting our favorite cattail swamp, we noticed somebody had placed a 4X4 plank across the deep ditch that ran down the swamps middle, now providing access from one section of swamp to the other. Dad quickly crossed on the narrow plank as our dogs jumped in and swam across the ditch. But for some reason I hesitated, then became shaky on the plank not even halfway across. A weird fear of falling into the ditch seem to supersede the skill and confidence I'd accumulated walking the RR tracks all those years.

This meme and its words reminded me of this childhood lesson. There's a definite difference between risking nothing when falling off a narrow pathway, then risking a possible severe consequence if slipping off a wider one. Dad never pushed me or made fun of my fear. But it took me 3 more trips to concur that fear and cross the ditch on this plank. And after I did, I thought how silly it was that it frightened me that bad. Being a patriot, the first man to cross the ditch on a narrow plank, are what heroes are made of.
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