Wimp

So, I realized that I've kind-of been being a wimp with this robe thing. I mean, I've walked around town with it one, I've walked into stores and made purchases with the robe on, I've even played paintball with the robe on (proof picture to come later). But every time there's an opportunity to meet with the people in my local congregation with the robe on, I chicken out.

My friend Kyle and I were talking, and we were discussing the old adage "the brave man dies only once, the coward a thousand times." In other words, fearing something makes it so much worse than it is. I expected all sorts of repercussions when I started wearing this robe. To date? Nothing worse than "are you from the last airbender?" People I don't talk to seem obviously a little weirded-out by it, but anybody I actually talk with about it quickly warms to the idea and even finds it entertaining.

We make excuses for ourselves, I think. "Well, if I do THAT, then THIS will happen and I'll have no friends and never be able to get a date and WON'T IT BE TERRIBLE???"

Uh, no. I have yet to run across a situation that was quite as bad as I imagined it was going to be. So, as long as I've gone this long, and as long as I'm almost out of time with this gig, I think it's finally time to look like a weirdo in front of people that I'm going to have to deal with on a long-term basis.

My church is having a big bonfire tonight. I'm going to go home and wash my robes.

Wish me luck.