“We all have fears. Fears and anxiety are mechanisms that have helped us to survive.” (Archbishop Desmond Tutu).”
I read a story about a time when Nelson Mandela was flying in a small propeller plane with his bodyguard, Mike. Mandela was reading the paper when he noticed that one propeller was not working. He leaned over and calmly told Mike, who informed the pilots. They were aware of the problem and said emergency landing procedures were in place. When Mike explained this to Mandela, he calmly went back to reading his paper. Mike, a tough guy was trembling with fear, but was calmed by the image of Mandela, who looked unbothered by the fact that they might fall out of the sky. When they had gotten into the back of the bullet proof BMW that met them at the airport, Mandela leaned over to Mike, with wide eyes and said, “Man, I was terrified up there.”
Courage, in the face of a crisis, is not without tears or fears – courage is being willing to allow those emotions to run through and use the energy to do all that is mine to do. There is a motto pictured throughout the nursing home where Dave is residing that reads. “Keep Calm and wash your hands.”
Wonderful wisdom in how to face the challenges of life so that we can also experience and appreciate incredible joy and wonder of life.
Be still, Be Well.
Rev Janice
