Gut Feeling
Our modern lives have become so fast paced and
overloaded with schedules and deadlines that we really never tune into what is
happening around us. Learning to pay attention to what is happening around us
can save your life. It's an important lesson that I learned one night, and one
I'd like to share with you.
I was coming home late one night from a friend's
house, around 11pm.I decided to stop and get something to drink at out local
convenience store. I parked, walked inside and noticed 2 other guys in the
store also, talking with the clerk. I walked to the back of the store and
grabbed a drink and went up to the clerk to pay for it.
He made a little small talk as I paid for the
drink. Then he said "I feel sorry for those two guys that were just in
here."
"Why's that?" I asked. "Their
truck broke down, not far from here and they don't have any money to get over
to their friends house." the clerk said.
"That's sucks" I said "take
care." With that I turned to leave the store and head home to get some
sleep.
As soon as I was out the door, I had a bad
feeling. I had been doing a lot of reading about and working on being present
and listening to my instincts. Something wasn't right. I stood there and looked
left and right. The two guys that had just been in the store were no where to
be seen. That was strange I thought. Then everything that the clerk had said
replayed in my mind. The moment that I walked into the store replayed and I
remembered how the two were dressed. It struck me really hard now. My gut
feeling was telling me of danger.
I had parked my truck just around the corner of
the building in the parking area. That was a mistake, I thought. I took a few
steps in that direction and got my keys out and ready to get inside. I started
to hear noise from around the corner, which I was already going to take a wide
corner to get around. That way I could put plenty of distance between myself
and what I couldn't see around the corner.
When I rounded the corner, they weren't
expecting me to be 10 feet away. I moving with purpose to get in my vehicle and
get out of there. The guy that was closest to me tried closing the distance. I
told him in a firm voice to not come any closer to me.
He tried again to close the distance, "Hey
buddy, could we borrow some money to call a friend". Again I said
"No! Stay on the sidewalk"
His partner started to move, "hey we just
need to borrow some money."
"I said NO!" I repeated. By
this time I was already in the vehicle and getting ready to leave. My
adrenaline was pumped, but I stayed calm and kept to the plan. I was driving
off just as a patrol car was pulling in.
I was safe and heading home.
When I got home I stayed up trying to digest all
that had happened. Why did I know that there was danger around the corner? What
mistakes did I make? What did I do right? Was I really in danger, or just being
paranoid? Some of these questions from that night I haven't answered, some I
have. For example, I could've parked right in front of the door to the store
and nit around the corner. I could've just gone home without stopping for
something to drink, as it was late.
However I did pay attention to the way the 2
guys were dressed (jackets ect..on a warm Texas night), what the clerk said,
(vehicle broke down, no money), but most important I listened to gut feeling
and allow myself to follow that instinct. This was the most important lesson I
received that night. Listen to your intuition, that inner voice, or gut
feeling. .It doesn't matter what you call it, we've had it since the beginning
of time. It's that ability to listen to that 6th sense, and avoid
danger. I was always told, "I fight avoided is a fight won." I stayed
safe that night and I won. I listened to that inner voice and avoided danger. I
told this to a group of self-defense students I was working with and one asked,
"Do you think you could have took them" I sighed, "Don't miss
the point of the lesson. I don't know what the outcome of a physical
confrontation would've been, it doesn't matter. I came home safe and ready to
live another day. That's self-defense, that's surviving. If you can, use all
your senses, all your awareness, and stay clear of danger, but don't be afraid
to live your life."
Develop your awareness, use all your senses, and
learn to listen to your inner voice or that gut feeling, don't let your
ego put you in danger. Stay Safe!
