DO YOU HAVE A "BIG JOHN"? How do you react to a "Big John"?

Tweet

While preparing a lesson I came across this story and thought it had much merit for all of us, as we all encounter problems throughout our week. One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus station, started his bus, and drove off along his route. No problems for the first few stops: a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well. At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a guy got on. He was six foot eight, built like a wrestler, with arms hanging down almost to the ground. He glared at the driver and said, "Big John doesn't pay!" and sat down at the back of the bus. Now, the driver was five foot three, thin, and basically meek. Naturally, he didn't argue with Big John, but he wasn't happy about it. The next day the same thing happened. Big John got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down - and the next day, and the one after that, and every day. This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him. Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that stuff. By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong, and what's more, he felt really good about himself. So on the next Monday, when Big John once again got on the bus and said "Big John doesn't pay!" the driver stood up, glared back at the passenger, and yelled, "Oh yeah? And why not?!" With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied simply, "Big John has a bus pass." I wonder how many “Big Johns” or perceived big problems we face in our daily lives? I wonder if they really ARE “Big Johns”? They LOOK big. They LOOK threatening. They DO overwhelm us, but are they mostly froth and bubble? Maybe we need to realistically examine them to see just how big they are, before we pour energy in trying to solve them and only get ourselves into a tizzy. On the other hand, maybe these perceived problems will help to move us out of our comfort zone to prepare us for a real problem when it comes. Either way, the way we LOOK at the problem will have a great effect on how we DEAL with the problem - and on the outcome. [b]What is YOUR reaction to perceived problems? How do you tackle a "Big John"?[/b] Remember: Mark Twain said, “I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened” * Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy. * A day of worry is more exhausting than a day of work * Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere