We have a second house on the lake that we visit only occasionally in the winter. We will go and spend a night here and there just to check on things. I was ready to take a shower and had to turn the water heater up so that I could leisure in the toastiest of conditions. The water hadn’t quite reached the temperature I wanted, however I jumped in, being my impatient self. I turned the water only hot enough to be “comfortable”. I definitely would have preferred for it to be scolding. For some reason, I would not allow myself to turn it all the way to “HOT”. It was as if I turned it all the way up, I wouldn’t have that reassurance that it could get hotter. Even though I would be happier if the water was warmer, I didn’t want to experience “the best it could be”. While standing in the shower, I realized that this scenario occurred in everyday life as well. Sometimes we settle for things that are “okay” instead of “excellent” because we are scared to give it our all. Sometimes we are scared to really put ourselves out there for the fear of being hurt or disappointed. We accept the bare minimum so there’s no way to fail. If I turned the shower all the way up, I was afraid that I would use all of the hot water and it would get cold. If the water had gotten cold, then I would have been uncomfortable and disappointed. I am a very reserved person. I would rather sit in the corner in silence then carry on a conversation with someone. I envy people who can walk up to a stranger and hold a conversation. I know that I could probably handle this task decently, but I am scared to put myself out there and really give it my best effort. If I sit in the corner, no harm is done and I can’t get hurt. For a while, this seemed like the best option for me. But then I realized that I needed to turn the water all the way up. I needed to branch out and meet new people. Because even though there is a possibility of failure, and disappointment, and pain, there is also a possibility of success. And there just might be enough hot water…
Enough Hot Water
Categories: Inspirational, Life, People, Reflective, Things about me, World
Tags: effort, failure, hot, open, people, socializing, success, water
4 Comments
I absolutely adore your writing. It always inspires me. Keep doing a great job, Mesa!
Thank you Seth! That means a lot…:)
I love this post so much!! I was exactly like you at your age…Then, one day, I cranked up the heat and never looked back. It’s not that the fear of rejection ever fully dissipates; it’s more a realization that everyone is in the same boat, and I was more afraid of all that I would miss out on sitting quietly in my little “safe” corner!
Thank you so much! This was a lesson that I needed to learn–and you are so right! Everyone IS in the same boat…I suppose it is a way of life for some, and had to be learned (just as I am learning it) for others. One way or another, we must put ourselves out there and give ourselves the chance to succeed!! Thanks so much for sharing! xoxo