Download & Print
November 20, 2025
Paul Petersen Ponders
Children push us out of comfort zones
By Paul Petersen
The Bandera Prophet
In one of my jobs, I do a lot of public speaking. Away from the microphone, though, I’m an introvert. Mingling with crowds is a challenge, and I’ve always had clear-cut ideas of what I will do and won’t do.
Those who know me describe me as strait laced. I’ve never gone honkytonking: loud crowds and drunken fights don’t appeal to me. If I go to a bar or nightclub, the best sign isn’t a girl flirting with me, but rather a bored bouncer.
I’m also that way with food. A few years ago in Gillespie County at an annual Wild Game Dinner, a guy presented me with samples of deep-fried…well, they weren’t chicken nuggets.
“Would you like a rocky mountain oyster?” he asked me.
“No thank you,” I replied, moving my left hand back and forth for emphasis.
He persisted, “You’ll love them! Rocky mountain oysters—”
“—I know what they are,” I said, politely. “No thank you.”
Furthermore, I’ve never done drugs and have never even been drunk. Not because I’m holy, but because I say and do enough stupid things sober. I’ve always been afraid I’ll enjoy the escape too much and will want to buy a house there. Most likely, I’d also wake up hung over with a black eye or broken nose with no idea what happened.
But, as strait laced as I am, my middle son, Lee, is not.
“Dad! A friend and I raced up Enchanted Rock!” Lee told me once while he was in high school.
I gasped. For me, just walking up Enchanted Rock was challenging enough. Even when I was in Army shape, running up Enchanted Rock would’ve still been unthinkable. He added to my angst and said they’d also cliff jumped near The Rock.
Lee and his friends also made a late-night drive to San Antonio and visited the Alamo in the early morning hours. When I drive in San Antonio at 2 a.m., my only thought is avoiding stoplights out of fear of being carjacked.
Other crazy things Lee and his friends did: drag racing on local back roads and fist fighting each other “just for fun.”
Lee once challenged me to take a shot of Everclear with him.
Not whiskey, tequila, scotch or vodka, but Everclear.
“No thank you,” I said.
One summer, Lee bought a bacon-flavored soda from a store in downtown Fredericksburg. He tasted it, looked like he was about to gag, and then asked me if I wanted any.
“Sure—when Pluto collides with Earth,” I said.
Three years ago, while visiting Lee in Greater Houston, he took me for a visit to Houston’s Chinatown. We went into a grocery store there and explored the exotic fresh food items for sale. Fish, along with frogs and other animals that…didn’t look appetizing. Some I had no idea what they were and wished to keep it that way.
“Dad!” Lee said when we were in what appeared to be the poultry section. He pointed do a display of máo dàn. Better known as fermented duck embryos, someone once described them as a unique dining experience: when you eat one, you’ll feel like you “died and went to hell.”
“Want to try one, Dad?” Lee asked. He was joking, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he tried it someday.
“Pass,” I said, thinking I’d starve in the Far East. In the West, we take plenty of palatable foods for granted.
Recently, as I thought of how much of a daredevil Lee is, I reminded myself how boring life is if you constantly play it safe. Never taking any chances will give you plenty of yawns that represent endless regrets.
In the past three months, I’ve gone out dancing and have mingled more with people. The old Paul would’ve never done that. I also have pushed myself to do more things in my down time.
I even told a special girl how pretty she was.
Ok, THAT didn’t work. (Yes, ladies, I am currently single)
Lee has inspired me to push against my comfort zones and take more chances. God allows us one life and constantly playing it safe produces too many yawns.
Amazing what we can learn from our own children.
[email protected]
Those who know me describe me as strait laced. I’ve never gone honkytonking: loud crowds and drunken fights don’t appeal to me. If I go to a bar or nightclub, the best sign isn’t a girl flirting with me, but rather a bored bouncer.
I’m also that way with food. A few years ago in Gillespie County at an annual Wild Game Dinner, a guy presented me with samples of deep-fried…well, they weren’t chicken nuggets.
“Would you like a rocky mountain oyster?” he asked me.
“No thank you,” I replied, moving my left hand back and forth for emphasis.
He persisted, “You’ll love them! Rocky mountain oysters—”
“—I know what they are,” I said, politely. “No thank you.”
Furthermore, I’ve never done drugs and have never even been drunk. Not because I’m holy, but because I say and do enough stupid things sober. I’ve always been afraid I’ll enjoy the escape too much and will want to buy a house there. Most likely, I’d also wake up hung over with a black eye or broken nose with no idea what happened.
But, as strait laced as I am, my middle son, Lee, is not.
“Dad! A friend and I raced up Enchanted Rock!” Lee told me once while he was in high school.
I gasped. For me, just walking up Enchanted Rock was challenging enough. Even when I was in Army shape, running up Enchanted Rock would’ve still been unthinkable. He added to my angst and said they’d also cliff jumped near The Rock.
Lee and his friends also made a late-night drive to San Antonio and visited the Alamo in the early morning hours. When I drive in San Antonio at 2 a.m., my only thought is avoiding stoplights out of fear of being carjacked.
Other crazy things Lee and his friends did: drag racing on local back roads and fist fighting each other “just for fun.”
Lee once challenged me to take a shot of Everclear with him.
Not whiskey, tequila, scotch or vodka, but Everclear.
“No thank you,” I said.
One summer, Lee bought a bacon-flavored soda from a store in downtown Fredericksburg. He tasted it, looked like he was about to gag, and then asked me if I wanted any.
“Sure—when Pluto collides with Earth,” I said.
Three years ago, while visiting Lee in Greater Houston, he took me for a visit to Houston’s Chinatown. We went into a grocery store there and explored the exotic fresh food items for sale. Fish, along with frogs and other animals that…didn’t look appetizing. Some I had no idea what they were and wished to keep it that way.
“Dad!” Lee said when we were in what appeared to be the poultry section. He pointed do a display of máo dàn. Better known as fermented duck embryos, someone once described them as a unique dining experience: when you eat one, you’ll feel like you “died and went to hell.”
“Want to try one, Dad?” Lee asked. He was joking, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he tried it someday.
“Pass,” I said, thinking I’d starve in the Far East. In the West, we take plenty of palatable foods for granted.
Recently, as I thought of how much of a daredevil Lee is, I reminded myself how boring life is if you constantly play it safe. Never taking any chances will give you plenty of yawns that represent endless regrets.
In the past three months, I’ve gone out dancing and have mingled more with people. The old Paul would’ve never done that. I also have pushed myself to do more things in my down time.
I even told a special girl how pretty she was.
Ok, THAT didn’t work. (Yes, ladies, I am currently single)
Lee has inspired me to push against my comfort zones and take more chances. God allows us one life and constantly playing it safe produces too many yawns.
Amazing what we can learn from our own children.
[email protected]