Facing the Fears of Life Head On

Yesterday I met the bravest squirrel I have ever known. My wife and I were driving to a high school graduation party outside of the city where we live. We were enjoying the beautiful drive, the weather and the rolling fields in front of us. As I was driving, up ahead I spotted a squirrel in the middle of my lane. I knew that there was no way I was going to be able to completely stop before reaching the doomed squirrel, and I knew I wasn’t going to swerve to miss the squirrel, because as much as I love all the animals of the Earth, I’m not going to put my wife and the child she’s carrying at risk. So, I tried to slow down and hoped the squirrel would hop out of the way, like they normally do.

But this squirrel responded in a remarkable way. Instead of running off to the side of the road, he turned and I am sure that he looked me straight in the eyes. Then, instead of bolting off out of the way, he actually RAN toward our car! I slowed down as fast as I could but couldn’t stop, I knew I was going to hit the squirrel. As the squirrel continued to sprint towards me and I knew the impact was certain, he didn’t stop. He ran toward the car and as I drove over him, I waited for the inevitable thump that was going to be me hitting the squirrel and sending it to the great beyond. I waited, and waited, for the thump but it didn’t come. I looked out my rear-view window and I could scarcely believe my eyes when I saw the squirrel continuing to run down the road, unscathed.

I was stunned and amazed by the courage of this squirrel. Though he may have simply been frozen and reacted by instinct, heading the wrong direction into a confrontation with my mechanical beast, I can’t ignore the apparent courage of this squirrel. Often times in our lives, there are certain things that are bearing down on us, that strike fear and anxiety into our hearts. So often I find myself just trying to get out of the way as that fear comes at me, or ignoring it so that I don’t have to face it. But this squirrel has inspired me to, instead of running away from fear and anxiety, and it eventually catching me, to turn and face it head on, and realize that the fear that I thought was chasing me, that I thought would destroy me, actually has no power over me.

May we all tackle life head on, like this brave squirrel.