The Tantrum That Taught Me Everything

Life is full of surprises, and so is learning. The last thing I learned wasn’t from a book, a podcast, or an expert—it came from an unexpected source: my three-year-old throwing a tantrum over a banana.

Yes, you read that right. She wanted a peeled banana but refused to accept the one I had just peeled. Why? Because she wanted to peel it herself. That moment of pure, irrational frustration made me realize something profound: sometimes, it’s not about what we get, but about how we get it.

How often do we, as adults, feel the same way? We work hard for success but sulk when it doesn’t arrive the way we imagined. We receive advice but reject it simply because we didn’t come up with it ourselves. Just like that toddler, we, too, have our own version of tantrums—just more silent and with a better vocabulary.

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” — Confucius

That day, I learned to embrace the unexpected. Not every lesson arrives wrapped in wisdom; sometimes, it comes wrapped in a banana peel.

So, the next time life hands you a peeled banana, don’t rush to complain. Maybe it’s already the best version of what you wanted.

Thought to ponder: If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But if life gives you a peeled banana—are you wise enough to accept it, or will you throw a tantrum too?