Voices Within
by:Simon Morrell
Buy Simon’s Book: From Bullied To Black Belt here!
We all have voices within, all of us. Now if this worries you don’t let it, you are not ready for the padded room just yet. Our voice within can be a beautiful, natural thing a gift sent to protect us but in using this voice we have our own logical thought process we must use to assist it. Let me explain;
I have been asked more and more lately to talk, write and teach about protecting our children and it is something I am very keen to do, specially as a father of three and a children’s Martial Arts Instructor. I will be addressing the issue very soon in all the formats mentioned above but before I do so it is important as adults that we acknowledge, nurture and use our own voice. After all if we don’t recognise the voice or even that we have one how on earth can we pass this benefit onto our younger folk?
So my first point of call is for the adults out there and how they use our voice within to first protect ourselves. Without us even contributing to it our inner voice will spot/sense/smell danger and warn us about it. Sometimes it is quite whisper and sometimes it is a roar. Whichever one it is we must listen to it and act upon it. If we don’t it could have dire consequences for us. You may not realise until reading this but you have probably experienced voice within before and may have or may not have acted upon it. If you acted upon it it more than likely saved you from harm.
The man on the subway who may blatantly glare at you. Does he make you feel uncomfortable? Then what is the harm in moving to another carriage? Worried you might offend him? So what, he might be harmless but then again he may not. How many people do you think over time retreat not trusting instinct and taking evasive action.
The car that has tailed you for the last few mile. Probably nothing right? Then why have you suddenly started checking your rear view mirror every ten or so seconds? Evasive action may well be pulling into a gas station and in this case I would recommend not getting out (the doors are already locked correct?) but parking near the gas station doors and holding your ground. If the car pulls up beside you and mirrors your actions, staying put no attempt at gassing up or shopping in the store then hello! Alarm bells! Your inner voice tapped you on the shoulder some miles back and let you know the score.
Like everything it’s about balance but what benefit would you get from getting out of your car when everything in you stays stay where you are!
The following are true stories of inner voice and acting upon it…or not as we see.
My elder sister visited a small local fishing town for some shopping (alone.) As she parked her car another car pulled up and parked right next to her. Nothing wrong with that correct? Except the rest of the lot was practically deserted.
She confessed to me later on that the driver gave her the creeps (think Stephen King’s Big Driver,) but she got out anyway. I point out that if she headed back onto the expressway she could have driven two exits along and visited the next town, a bigger shopping area. She was incredulous; “Why should I?” she asked. “Because he might have been the next Charles Manson that’s why,” was my reply.
I’m all for standing up for oneself but not at an unnecessary cost and unworthy risk. So she headed for the shops and as she looked in the windows she caught his reflection in the next shop every time. I was by now furious with her especially when she went on further that in at least two of the shops he went in behind her, both times without making a purchase. Wow the penny should have dropped by now! It didn’t and as she made her way back to her car so did he.
Her spider senses were tingle full speed ahead now but she still engaged him when he conducted his “interview.” Despite media reports not every attack comes out of the blue, they are are usually proceeded by our inner voice and rounded up by an interview.
She nervously entered into a conversation with him and he produced his business card, asking her to call to arrange a date, (the interview). She took his card (I am shaking my head in dismay as I write.) It claimed he was a local Martial Artist specialising in ladies only classes and private self defence tuition in his home.
Now I don’t know everyone and his dog but between myself and my Martial Art friends we know pretty much everyone involved in self defence training in our area…not one of my buddies had heard of him. His number was disconnected, the poorly produced home made business card seemingly worth nothing.
My sister still couldn’t grasp it even though she conceded she still felt very uneasy. We never did find the guy but nor did we, thank God, have to identify a body.
My sister’s voice may have been somewhat a whisper but it was still a voice. I’ll give you two personal experiences of both screaming inner voice and my own whisper.
Sometime ago I visited a friend at his shop in a small market. It was a Friday afternoon and reasonably busy. As we chatted away two males and a female made their way through the market.
They were loud, brash but not on the outside offensive. Couple of remarks here and there, a little bit of this, a little bit of that.
My friend Norman quipped. “Idiots. We get them in here all time. Nothing to it.”
Me? I felt different and Norman picked up on it.
“Si, did they bother you?” He was concerned and soI answered him honestly.
“Norman they are bad news. Do me a favour? I’m only going to be in town for another hour or so. Call me on my cell if you need me, after that be careful.”
“Did you pick up on something?” he asked.
“Just a feeling, probably just a few yahoos blowing through.”
People in the market ignored them…until later that afternoon they got battered senselessly, the trio being sent forward for a firm of travellers hell bent on dirty pickings.
My instinct that day was sky high. And I listened to it. Norman chose to ignore it as did his fellow traders. The result was carnage. People hurt.
So here is the draw.
We have two types of thought process;
1/ Oblivious; Ignore the feelings that guy stirs up in you. Hell he probably go away…maybe not.
We all sit here, we all thing we are bomb proof.
2/ Animal; That moment we realise all is not good, instinct, lion, lioness, animal takes over. We upstairs in the brain department are slow to catch on as down below in our guts we know it is time to leave the building. Listen to your animal for he/she is so much more aware than us. When that feeling hits your stomach leave the room. As for offending the guy? Chances are you will never see him again…you can live with that. Be safe.
Simon Morrell September 2015, Florida.
