As we live our lives, we reach crossroads where decisions must be made, and if the decision is important enough, one which can alter our destiny, or cause us to face up to our fears, it can be called a moment of truth. Picking where to go to college can be a moment of truth. Do you choose to stay local and go to the closest college, so you stay surrounded by family and friends, or do you choose a college across the country, or even in another country, where you have no ties, no friends, no support network. How will that decision impact your life? The same holds true for jobs and relationships, but what about fears?

What if you’re going skydiving for the first time and are afraid of heights? You would stand on the precipice and face your fear as you choose whether to jump or not. Up until that point, the decision can be postponed, but now — with the rush of air passing by the door, it’s decision time. How does the choice affect you? If you jump and have faced your fear of heights head on, is your fear gone? Or do you know that when you are in a situation where your fears come into play, you do have the fortitude to face them down? If you choose not to jump, does that mean you’re a failure? What kind of scar does that leave and how does that affect your decision making in the future?

A moment of truth on a personal level means the decision shows you your true self, and there is no going back from it. Can you change your mind? Yes. Say you chose the school across the country and attended for a semester, but then decided you’d rather attend somewhere closer to home. You might think you’re going back, but you have already been altered from your choice in the first place. You have life experiences you never would have had. In 7th Grade Revolution, some of the kids had to face such a moment of truth. Ellen was given the opportunity to go into the tunnel, and she couldn’t face it. For Dennis, the finding of the ladder into the tunnel was bittersweet. Being afraid of the dark, with good reason, he now had to face his fears head on with deliberation as to whether he would lower himself into the pitch dark tunnel.

     Rhonda knelt next to the door on the opposite side, curiosity bubbling. Oh my goodness. Silas had thrown them more curves than a sidewinder in the desert.
     Dennis snatched at the side of the door, and she searched more closely.
     There it was. A wooden nail. Gripping it with her stubby fingernails, she pulled it out.
     When they each held a wooden peg, Dennis grinned and pushed the bottom flap of the door down. He slid the slim plywood out and revealed a rope ladder within. A rope ladder with wooden planks for the crossbars.
     Dennis yanked the rope and dropped it through the hole. “Who’s going in?” Dust billowed through the opening.

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