Let Go of Old Fears

What does a flight, a fortune teller, and a lesson have in common?

As we were descending into Charlotte, a quiet man seated next to me unexpectedly shared, “𝙈𝙮 𝙢𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙝.”

Not exactly the small talk you expect at 30,000 feet. And I quickly felt the urge to ask about his brothers.

This was only his second flight ever - the first was decades ago when smoking cigars on planes was still a thing. He had spent years avoiding the skies, carrying the weight of an old prediction.

As we landed safely, I reassured him that statistically flying is far safer than it was seventy years ago.

Awkwardly relieved we weren't on the next flight together; I started to wonder:
🔹 How often do I let the past dictate my future?
🔹 Am I reacting to fears or beliefs that simply aren’t true?
🔹 Am I fully embracing life, or hesitating in the shadows?
🔹 How many of us are quietly carrying emotional burdens we don’t see, shaped by past traumas or worries?

Larry, I know you will make it to Myrtle Beach to see your daughter.

But I’m grabbing this reminder to not let fears steal today’s opportunities.