A few weeks ago, I decided to join Five Minute Friday. It’s a group of bloggers who free-write for exactly five minutes on a one-word prompt. The word that week was “Try,” and I like the idea I came up with, but Friday came and went without me getting it typed and submitted. I still like the idea, so here goes:

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TRY – Test Reality Yourself. Don’t automatically believe that you cannot do something simply on the word of someone who isn’t you or doesn’t know your skills, determination, etc. Mind, don’t test Newton’s theory of gravity from a six-story building without a parachute. That’s something you can figure out without putting yourself in danger. But, given the chance to bike across the US or run a 5K or write a novel….go for it – Test Reality Yourself – you may discover that you can do more than you (or others) give you credit for.

Test what you’re told in the media – if you can visit a certain site or interview eyewitnesses, do it. You may find that the scope of information available is broader than what media editors choose to fit in the time slot or column size available. One meme puts it this way: turn off your TV and visit your neighbors – you’ll likely find that we’re more friendly than you’ve been told.

Test what you believe in matters of faith. Go ahead, the truth can handle the hardest questions and will reveal itself to those who diligently seek to know. False belief systems will fall under the weight of scrutiny, if you

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pile enough research and logic on them. Be careful, those who really sought the truth found it, and their lives were forever changed.

Test foods, whether they include unusual ingredients or come from other cultures. You may find that you enjoy flavors that at first glance look or sound awful. (Admittedly, I still haven’t tried banana peanut butter sandwiches, but apparently Elvis really enjoyed them.) My food repertoire (and waistline) are evidence that I give (almost) everything at least one try.

In our society, we’ve gone from being too quick to believe the authorities without challenge to being too quick to believe the opinion polls without research. Either one is a ditch, with reality and stability somewhere between. Test Reality Yourself, and you can find the solid ground.

T.R.Y. — I dare you!