How to Peel a Banana

Today I saw a man open a banana differently than how I open a banana. It fascinated me. I had never even thought about opening the other end. I have always opened it by the stem. I was taught that way, everyone I know does it that way, and it never crossed my mind that there was another method. I stopped him and he told me that was the way he was taught, the way his mother did it, and the way he has taught his children to do it. He had never thought to open from the other end, it never crossed his mind.

I thought it was an amazing phenomenon. We each thought our way was the only way. We were surrounded by people who thought the same way we did, so no one ever challenged our way of doing things. It was a perfect example of how people do what they are taught and may never go challenged in their habits or thinking. When we are surrounded by people who do what we do, say what we say, have the same habits and actions then chances are our world is a bit smaller than we think.

Seeing one thing, a man peeling a banana, made me realize that I had a certain way of doing things, and there is always another option. It exposed in my own mind areas that I probably need to question more, or at least realize that other people do things, think things, and teach things I didn’t even know existed. It doesn’t mean that my world or my way is wrong, it simply means that there are other possibilities. Seeing things from a different perspective opens up avenues we never even imagined. It expands our own ideas and allows us to travel beyond our current borders.

So how do you peel a banana? And why do you do it that way? And have you ever thought about doing it a different way? For me peeling a banana will never be the same, and who knows what other amazing things I will encounter…the possibilities are endless.