You Really Need to Do This . . .

Ron Edmondson has become one of my favorite people.  He blogs on leadership, religion, and church ministries.  Ron is usually insightful and creative, and I enjoy his posts.

Recently Ron asked a simple, yet thought-provoking question as part of a great exercise – “Sometime in life, you need to . . . “

I interpreted this question as asking us to provide guidance and to share an experience that changed you in some way and wish for others to have that same experience.  Of course, this all comes with no guarantee that another person would receive the same gifts after a similar experience.  You do have to think about what has happened to you, both positive and negative, with an eye toward the value of the lesson taught.  I was immediately hooked on this idea and contributed the following suggestions, with a few new ones thrown in since I posted:

. . . be completely physically dependent on others for more than one day.

. . . fast for three days.

. . . complete a silent retreat.

. . . fall in love with someone who is a good friend.

. . . do a really great thing for someone else . . . anonymously.

. . . wash dishes for a living for at least one week.

. . . teach a teenager how to drive a manual shifting car.

. . . climb higher than you are really comfortable climbing and then look around.

. . . win a race or contest (any type).

. . . read a book that changes your life for the better.

. . . hold a brand new-born baby.

. . . dance with a 12-year old girl or boy.

. . . pass gas in public and live to laugh about it.

. . . feed a farm animal, preferably a young one.

. . . sing a song or two to a child

. . . go skinny-dipping with someone else

So what would you add? 

What are the experiences in your life which involved learning, growing, or simply enjoying life?

Feel free to post your comments or responses here or on Ron’s website.

Thinking of more things to share in the Heartland . . .

John