Killer Peas!

In.His.Lung.

This is a story about a little Russian man and his sunny outlook on life.

Ron thought, "hmmmm, my lung hurts."  Dr.'s though, "Oh my!  That's a mass in his lung, must be cancer."

After a little exploration - it wasn't cancer.  It was a baby pea plant, growing in his lung.

After they removed the plant, Ron wasn't mad at peas.  He wasn't afraid of them.  Nope.  He happily munched on peas while he contemplated the joy of being a healthy, happy man.

Click here for the full story from the Boston Globe.

I'd like to focus on Mr. Ron the Russian's outlook for a minute and kinda apply it to a larger idea.

When something bad happens to you, how do you react?  Do you harbor fears associated with the bad situation?  Do you let the bad situation live-on in you?  Or do you react with happiness that the bad is over and that you learned something and move on?

Okay - so that was a wicked loaded set of questions.  But I think the point writes itself.

This man took a bad thing and took the good from it.  I think we can all stand to do a little of this.   But what really struck me as interesting is that he didn't hold any ill will toward the pea.  Come on.  That's huge!  I can't say I wouldn't be gun shy of chowing on some peas when a baby one had decided my lung looked like a sweet new place to grow old.

But - this begets the question - how many fears are a result of a "bad experience" with something?  How much of your life is shut off from you because you "had a bad experience" -- how many good experiences have you kept yourself from out of fear of something bad "happening again"?!

Taking a chance on love, eating peas, moving across the country, trying Thai food, sleeping over at a friends house, trying a different item on a menu (okay, so yes, I forgot my breakfast this morning and I have a grumbly tummy, sue me)...what do you limit yourself on and why?

My challenge to you is this - take one of these fears, maybe just a little one to start -- and push through it this week.  Just take that leap and see if you can't make it through unscathed.  You'll never know what might happen!