Never let the fear of a storm keep you from having a picnic...

     So today was Day Apart at IBC (for those of you who don't know what that is, it's a day where classes are canceled, the staff makes and serves breakfast for and to the students, and the students and staff go on some random adventure together) . Today our destination was Brown County state park and the forecast was thunderstorms along with tornado warnings (AKA my worst nightmare) . Needless to say I decided to opt out of this adventure only to find out that everything pretty much stopped not long after everyone had left.


     I was slightly annoyed with Mr. weather man for not truly informing me of how long this storm was going to last but alas when it came down to it I was a bit more annoyed with myself more than anyone else. Though I don't totally regret not going (I did end up catching up on so much needed sleep) I do however, regret letting my fears keep me from going out and enjoying myself with my friends.

     After pondering on this a bit it made me ask myself, how often do we allow our fears to have control over our lives? If we continue to live our lives in fear then all we will know is fear. President Roosevelt said it so well when he said "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."

     I think sometimes it would do us some good to step out a bit from where we are comfortable at. Why not speak up a bit more in class? Why not attempt to reach that high note on a solo (you may be surprised how high you can truly go)? Why not ask that girl you sit next to in class out on a date? Why not even say hi to a stranger? These may seem like silly examples, but it seems pretty silly to be hiding under your blankets during what you think is some horrific storm while your friends are having the time of their lives. It's not always a bad thing to have fears, but it is a bad thing when you allow your fears to control you.

     The truth is there's always going to be storms in our life. The question is what are we going to do when they come? Are we going to allow them to keep us from doing what we want or are we going to put on our rain coats, pull on our galoshes, and pack a picnic?

     Though I don't see my fear of storms (the real kind, not the metaphorical kind) disappearing on its own anytime soon. I do, however, know that I have control over my fears. And it is my decision whether or not I allow them to control me

     So with all that being said... I think it's time I put on my rain coat, pulled on my galoshes, and packed a picnic basket. I'm ready to splash in a few puddles, enjoy a few laughs, and have a delicious picnic