What Would Happen If?
My son was two or three years old when he asked me a simple yet profound question. We were taking an afternoon walk, as I often did, but this time he walked with me. We followed my usual route: walking uphill on one street for a few blocks before turning around and heading home. I never walked far because I used these few minutes as a reset in my day, and typically, he was with my mom while I walked. It was the question he asked me at the top of the hill that I remember to this day, nearly thirty years later.
Mom, what would happen if we turned the corner?
You see, I had never turned that corner. I walked to the hilltop and turned around. I knew the street turned right and could see a little bit past the curve. After that, I wasn’t exactly sure where the sidewalk led. I wasn’t all that curious. I did once or twice wonder what lay ahead, but usually I was focused on returning home. Back to routine. Back to safety and the norm. I answered, assuring him that nothing bad would happen; it was just a longer walk, and we needed to get back home.
Even though I love walking, being outdoors, and taking on some risk after weighing every angle I can imagine, I frequently retreat to what feels safe.
There are many reasons for that behavior, and I know what they are.
