Never say never

It’s easy to make ‘whiplash’ decisions based on prior experiences, and lose the chance to experience new things. It’s easy to stay at home doing what you often do, playing computer games or watching television, and forget to engage with the world.

Perhaps I am naturally anxious, or have tended to be more careful, worrying about trying new things that could be truly life-changing. But when others suggest I try something new, I think I am now becoming more likely to experiment or try new things.

A few weeks ago, when my wife suggested that we take the kids for a walk in the rain, my first impulse was to think: ‘Hey, that’s crazy!’. And yes, it was bitterly cold that day. Wet, and muddy. But I’m glad I chose to ignore my first reaction to the suggestion.

I still remember the day we went walking together in the rain, my wife, the kids and I, huddled together against the cold, drinking coffee as we walked around the central city near the closed shops, and remember our youngest daughter giggling and trying to stomp in muddy puddles. I remember how we hid from the rain under one of the few shopfronts on Cashel Street near the restart mall as we ate our German hotdogs. The cold brought the family closer together.

But if I had chosen to stay at home that Sunday, it wouldn’t have been as memorable. I may not even have been able to recall enough details to be able to pass on the weekend events to my colleagues on a Monday morning.