Fear Not

There are a multitude of times in the Bible when angels appear to advise humans to "fear not." Some will say there are 365 times to match our 365-day calendar, while others have debunked this inaccuracy.  I don't really care about the numbers--I'm not into data or trying to prove anything here. What I find equally intriguing and disturbing is our use of fear as a weapon--a way to hold ourselves and others back, keep everyone in check, get what we want.

Fear is a weapon of mass destruction, one we both use and fall prey to on the daily. 

Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of death, fear of what comes after death--fear grips us and has a negative impact on the decisions we make, big and small. It prevents us from living an authentic life and hinders our accomplishments. And, at its worse, fear is the foundation for hatred and misunderstanding--the building blocks that create walls between us. 

We don't need bombs to blow things up; fear does the job beautifully. It invades our innermost thoughts, causes us to react rather than respond. 

How do we learn to live fearlessly, pick out the minuscule shards from every fiber of our being?  It's so ingrained in us, I don't know that we can.  And, even if we figure it out on a personal level, how do we convince others to hop on the Fear Not Express and enjoy the ride with us?

At a base level--consciously or not--most of us find power or at least a little bit of satisfaction in making others fear us. "Not me!" you might adamantly proclaim. But, if you really take some time to reflect on your past and present interactions, I am positive you'll find something.  That doesn't make us bad people; it just makes us human, and we have to acknowledge our flaws to fix them.  

Unfortunately, those in power positions have learned to harness the power of fear and relentlessly manipulate and utilize it to execute their agendas.  Even people with relatively positive agendas wield fear. It's a powerful motivator. 

But, it's also a prison. 

That is going to be my goal for this next phase of my life, to be on constant watch for fear as a weapon--when I'm using it and when it's being used against me. To dismantle the cell door one bar at a time until I have enough space to escape. 

 Maybe by the end of my life, I can actually say I fear not. 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

To Do's

If my skull had a hinge and you dared open it at the moment, you would be buried in an explosion of unfinished business, looming unknowns, unfounded fears, and endless "to do's." That's where I am today. And, I know I am not alone. So, here's a little poem for anyone at the base of a snow-covered mountain, waiting for the avalanche to bury her: To Do Do cut yourself some slack, woman      even as your list of responsibilities and tasks explodes,           especially when you feel incapable and overwhelmed. Say to yourself, "I'm capable." Say to yourself, "I'm worthy." Say to yourself, "I'm strong." Do allow yourself time to breath, lady      even when you're breathless from the demands of life,           especially when you feel like your breath seems to be running out. Tell yourself, "I got this." Tell yourself, "It's temporary." Tell yourself, "Just breathe." ...
Read more

Kind and Generous

Image
Last week, my post was inspired by "These Are Days" by 10,000 Maniacs. In her response, a dear friend dropped another gem by Natalie Merchant: "Kind and Generous." The lyrics really hit home, especially these days. I've been working hard to overcome some pretty unsavory and deep-seeded feelings, emotions I thought I was doing a bang-up job of ignoring and squelching. Until I wasn't. I've always been empathetic and compassionate with others but have always struggled to extend those kindnesses to myself. Somehow I got the message that I wasn't worthy of it, that I had to live up to some impossible set of standards just to be good enough. And, don't misconstrue this as me blaming my mother (everyone blames the poor mother) or my upbringing in general. These messages come fast and furious from all directions in our society. I just did a stellar job of internalizing every single one of them. I am so blessed to be surrounded by people who see all t...
Read more

Say "Ahhh"

Image
No, this is not about going to the doctor. No one will be sticking a tongue depressor so far back in your throat you want to gag. I promise. The "ahhh" I'm talking about is that rush of air pushed out after a deep inhale, that point of release where you exhale all the stress building in your body, all that stuff making your neck tight, your heart race, your head pound, your brain freak out. My #1 goal for 2018 is to breathe through situations that would normally trigger worry and anxiety. The great thing is, I can pull it off without any special equipment or without drawing attention to myself, and especially important feature when you work with middle schools students who claim you're " triggered " every time you do or say anything they don't approve of. And, just in case you didn't know, that's pretty much everything. Come to think of it, I can exhibit signs of triggeredness (I'm fully aware this isn't a word--even before spell a...
Read more