Has anyone ever said something to you that filled your heart with fear? Well, as you can see in this particular photo, I found myself literally in the eye of the tiger! Last April I had the opportunity to travel Thailand. After arriving in Bangkok, I hopped on a quick flight to Phuket Island. It is an very beautiful place, with many amazing beaches, food, and things to do. One of the most famous attractions on the island is Tiger Kingdom.
Tiger Kingdom is a park where tourists can, with the aide of a trainer, pet and play with tamed tigers in various fenced in cages. Visitors can chose from a selection of three cages; the small cage, where you could hold and feed baby tigers with a bottle; the energetic medium sized tiger cage, with tigers that are about a year old; and the big cat cage. Of course, my boyfriend picked cage with the biggest cat I had ever seen. The 400 pound tiger was massive, beautiful, and jaw-droppingly powerful. So with an anticipation that normally reserved for roller coasters and bungie jumping, we stood in line behind the the big cat fence, watching and waiting for another couple to finish time with the massive tiger. We even took selfie pics celebrating the moment!
While we waited, a woman suddenly exited out of the medium tiger cage, followed by her husband. I realized that she was extremely upset. She was shaking and seemingly unable to move. I politely asked her, “Hey, how was it?” Her husband just stared at me while she replied, “Oh my God. It was soooo scary!!! I will never do that again. I wouldn’t go in if I were you.” Immediately, I wanted to run for my life. What the heck was I thinking? I’m just an ordinary girl. I have no clue about wild animals- much less 400 pound killer cats! I told myself that I needed to get out. Just run! My heart was filled with fear. As I turned to my handsome boyfriend, I had to make a decision. I knew there was a real risk. Was I going to allow fear to stop me?
As you can see, I conquered the fear, stepped into the tiger’s cage, and had a time that I will never forget! As I reflect on that experience, I wonder how often we allow other people’s fears to dictate the challenges we take. The everyday risks we take may not be as intimidating as staring into the eye of a tiger, but it is up to you which ones you are willing to take. Regardless of the outcome, you should never let someone else’s fear stand in the way of accomplishing something new and amazing in the journey of your life. So fear not, ladies. Get to packing, your kingdom awaits.