Learning to Eat Bananas

So I was driving to work today preparing to eat a banana. I grabbed the banana by the stem, flipped it over, and I began to peel the banana from the bottom.

I don't remember exactly where or when this revelation came to me. For my entire life, I had been peeling the banana stem first. Of course, this is the strongest part of the peel and tends to bruise and mangle the banana before I ever got to enjoy its sweet goodness.

At some point, someone said, "Hey, try flipping it over." And with that, my world changed. Well really, just my occasional banana eating changed. But what a good change it was.

That got me to thinking. I am open to hearing revolutionary practices based on newly understood truths.

Someone said, "Hey Ryan, do you realize that the way you eat your bananas is stupid. Think about it, you're working against the peel instead of with it. Why not try..." And I said, "Wow, you're right. I'm going to do that from now on."

That's who I am. I tend to appreciate and befriend people who are the same way. I don't understand (and perhaps it is my youthful shortsightedness) why so many people hear new truth, have no reason to deny it or disbelieve it, and yet still refuse to be molded. For the most part, if you cannot articulate some modicum of a reason for why this new truth is no truth at all, then why won't you believe it? And why won't you change your practice to suit?

Obviously this tends to get worse with age. I really appreciate the older folks in my life who are still open to the truth and who are still willing to reason and engage arguments. Thank you God for those people. Raise up more of them.

And if you're reading this, whatever banana you happen to be peeling, if someone invites you to try flipping it over, (based on reason of course) at least consider it!

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[Davenport34Vickie]

freelance writer