This I Believe

On the cover of Douglas Adams’ book, “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy,” two words are written – “Don’t panic”. I first came across this bit of advice towards the end of my high school years, and it has been invaluable to me. The last twenty years have blessed me with many opportunities to put it to the test and it has never let me down. Through college, marriage, moves, job changes, and fatherhood, it has stood me in good stead.

I think the beauty of “Don’t panic” is its simplicity. No matter how stressful the situation is, or how confusing the details are, it always helps to take a deep breath, and remind myself that losing my head will not help. My father-in-law, may he rest in peace, was of another generation and counseled stopping for a cigarette, specifically if you got lost in the woods while deer hunting, but I think the wisdom is the same. Even the most desperate situation, when given a moment or two to come to grips with it, is not as bad as it seems at first blush.

For me, to panic is to retreat into myself, to lose focus and even awareness of my surroundings. It makes communication impossible, and totally shuts down my ability to make decisions. When I am driving on an icy road in the winter and I feel the car start to slide, panic makes me want to slam on the breaks, brace myself against the steering wheel and shut my eyes. To say the least, that doesn’t work well. Taking a deep breath, removing my foot from the accelerator, and steering with the direction of the sliding car usually helps get things back on track. The same approach works in a lot of different situations – slow down, keep your eyes open, and don’t force things against the flow.

While the words “Don’t panic” may seem a little too flippant to be taken seriously as a statement of belief, they do make other things, even significant things, possible. When confronted by an angry, unreasonable, and perhaps scary person, and I refuse to panic, I am actually showing respect both for them and for myself. This is important to me. I learn things this way.

When things that I have planned or counted on start falling apart, and I do not lose my head, then I learn what their real value is to me. If they are worth salvaging, and I can find a way to do it, I learn even more about myself.

In short, not panicking is a simple way for me to properly value others, myself, my things and activities that I take part in. It’s not always easy, but it’s a handy skill for navigating life. A fringe benefit is that other people seem to appreciate it too. Keeping calm, just like panicking, can be contagious, and it helps people to work together.

Make the world a better place – don’t panic!