Four years ago, I worked for this D.A.R.E camp in my hometown, and the duties were to teach the kids various fitness activities, and serve as camp counselor. The part of town that I lived in is rural part of MS.
Which means... lots of trees...
ANIMALS!...but more specifically...RACCOONS!
One day, a few of the other counselors began to call my name. I was baffled. They were calling me to this building to see a raccoon. As I was walking to the shed, I could hear this fierce rattling of a cage. But, I didn't think anything of it.
As I continued to trek towards the shed, I was thinking to myself, "Stay far away from the cage. Don't get close to it."
"Okay!" I thought, "I can do that!"
*Enter Jay to look at raccoon*
At almost 100 yards away I exclaimed, "I can see it!"
I wanted to know why the blanket was over the cage. I was curious. I wanted to know more. I asked one of the other counselors, "Why is the cover over the cage?" He responded, " Come find out."
As I walked closer I thought about all of the exits I could run too. Option one: I could turn around and run out the door. Or, Option two: right through the hole in the wall.
My brain said, "In case of emergency: run out the hole in the wall."
OKAY! Check! Ready to go!
I had arrived. I was at the cage. I didn't see anything, so I turned away.
"NO COME BACK!" exclaimed one of the counselors.
*pause* I turn around and peer into the cage...
*REEEEAAARAWWWW* screeched the raccoon!
NOOOOOOO!
I jumped out my skin, leaving the old Jay behind, and took off through the emergency exit. I began to sprint; not caring who was watching or what my destination would be.
I was running for my life, and several things were going through my mind as I was doing so.
1. You can do this, it won't get you
2. Stop running and just fight the d*mn thing.
3. Just stop running because you're out of breath!.
Okay, I admit, #3 won! When I turned around to see what was following me, there was nothing there, and I was about one mile away from the school. As I walked back, I could hear the cackling and the laughing sounds of the other counselors.
They watched me run away from a problem, which is something I do often in life. I run away from problems that I should face head on. As a college senior, it is important to remember that we shouldn’t be baffled by the small thing; but instead, we should be strong-willed and determined about achieving those things.
I learned a lesson that day. Don’t run away from things that seem big or scary! Nine times out of ten, they're smaller than your ankle...
Moral of the story: DON’T BE SCARED!!!
