In Others' Words: Whatcha' Thinking?

"We become what we think about all day long." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist & poet

I was a pretty fearful kid growing up. Sad to say, I dragged some of my fears right into adulthood.

What made me change?

My first child was born. I remember being at home with my baby boy and the lights went out. It was me — the gal who, at 23 years old, was still afraid of the dark — and an infant.

Who was gonna handle the situation?

Well, duh.

I was the adult. I was the one who had to find the flashlights and the candles. I was the who who had to comfort my son — and I certainly couldn't worry about the fact that I was freaked out.  Oh, yeah. I could hear the theme music from a horror movie playing in my head the whole time.

When the crisis was over and the lights were back on, I faced a new reality: Did I want my child to grow up like me — afraid? Or did I want to change who I was so that my son had a mom who was brave — or at least braver. Becoming unafraid meant changing my mind about things — choosing to be courageous even when fear threatened to overwhelm me.

Ralph Waldo Emerson had it right: What we think about affects who we are. Or, to put it another way: For as he thinks within himself, so he is. (Proverbs 23:7 NAS)

In Your Words: It's Monday again. Whatcha' thinking about? When have your thoughts influenced you — for better or worse?