“There’s nothing to fear but fear itself”
Don’t you kinda want to lovingly trip the people that say that? Often, they’re usually the biggest ‘fraidy cats, too. Say, “spider” and they’re leaping out of their seat. Nothing to fear, hey? Sure.
Truthfully, there’s actually tonnes to fear out there; unemployment, disease, financial distress, loss of a loved one and even just not feeling like you belong. Those, best as I can tell, are definitely a bunch of real things to be fearful of, which for many, make that opening quote kind of asinine.
But, why? Why are those situations to be feared? When you really look at it, all those things are quite synonymous with life; if you’re alive, they’re part of your existence. So then, it almost seems like we should be fearful of life. But, that can’t be right, can it? (‘No’, is the answer you’re looking for).
Pretty simply, we’re scared of what we believe we stand to lose. Which, even includes our life. In fact, when you peel back all the layers, that’s really the hard-hitter for most.
Perception is 9/10ths fear. It’s just the natural response we’ve been groomed to believe. Belief – that’s the key. What we believe we stand to lose. What we believe all those things mean for us. What we believe to be our eternal fate. It’s belief. More than anything, it’s belief.
Presumably, none of us avoids the supermarket for fear of imminent peril. We believe that going to buy groceries is a safe thing to do. Even before you actually ever went to a grocery store, it probably never even crossed your mind that it could be a fearful place. And that, was most likely something you were made to believe. It didn’t seem overly crazy to get on board with that one. Going to pick up some milk and a dozen eggs doesn’t really seem like a tempting of fate. Then, after going to get a few gallons of milk and few dozens of eggs, your experience supported your belief. And, lo and behold, supermarket = safe.
Now, what about your physical being and your soul? What’s your belief and experience with each of those? I’m going guess, your belief and experience of your physical being is largely the same. You’re here, you exist, stubbing your toe hurts, you’d like to have lots of money, sometimes you wish your children could be quiet and one day your life will forever cease. Well, your physical life, that is. In effect, the belief and experience of your physical being is basically as advertised.
“Bachelor number 2 (your soul), same question” – what’s your belief and experience with being a soul? Here’s where there’s a lot less to hang on to. Of course, people have a faith and a belief in a greater design than it just being little ol’ me and little ol’ you on little ol’ planet Earth. But, because most of us haven’t had any real experience with the soul, that faith and belief is probably a little spotty, at best. And, in fact, it’s very Dalmatian-like because pretty much all of us harbour the same fear of bachelor number 1, ie the temporariness of our physical being.
If someone could promise, guarantee, pinky swear, whatever, that your soul continues on to bigger, brighter and more amazing things after our short stay here, I’d surmise we’d all have a little bit better of a time during our stay here. I’d bet we’d care about a lot of different things than what we do right now and be filled with a lot of different emotion than we’re filled with. I’d bet your life would be fuller. And, I’d bet that you’d have a lot less fear.
Well, for whatever authority you wish to grant me, I’m here to promise, guarantee, pink swear, whatever, that your soul continues on to bigger, brighter and more amazing things after our short stay here. I’m here to say that however much Love you’re sharing, help you’re giving and compassion you’re showing, you can do more. Put down your phone (after you’ve finished reading this, of course) and go help pick someone up. It’s what you’re meant to do here.
Living each day like it’s your last is a pretty ridiculous motto. But, we can all definitely live each day knowing we’re bigger than anything grounded here on this Earth; we’re bigger than ourselves. That, is the true freedom of your Heart. Simply put, “there is nothing to fear”. That’s it.
Be Love.
