H,
There is a living fear inside everything we do. I am not so sure we will
ever be rid of it. Sometimes I actually think it does some good. It is a marker
of how much we care about an event or person or outcome. Indifference has
always been the much greater sin to me.
Yet, the fear itself can be crippling. It can rob us of connection. It can
take our most fruitful ideas and intentions and render them inert. It can make
us hate others and refuse to be loved. It takes so much and gives absolutely
nothing.
Fear in itself will not do these things. Like I said before, it can
simply show us how deeply we feel towards something. It is our reaction to fear
that is always the kick in the teeth. It is a note and not a call to action. It
tells us something about ourselves but that is all. It is not the inspiration to
engage with life. Most of the time, it actually tells us to do the exact
opposite.
We must learn that there is no way to live a full life in fear. It will
take everything we have. It is an instrument for the dark. We are creatures of
light. Just as the dark is only a contrast for the light, so fear is only a marker
for courage. We must press on. We must not relent. The thing to fear the most,
death and futility, has been taken away. There is no longer a hold or lien on
the human soul. Freedom is sure. Living or dying are just the two sides of our
human experience and the latter will only lead us home.