Fear Imprisons

Fear imprisons and controls its captive. Physiologically, fear is the unpleasant emotion that signals our brain to produce the adrenaline we need to remove ourselves from a perceived threat. The common reaction to which is either a flight, fight or freeze response.

Psychologically, fear is relinquishing control to the object of your fear where the object now has power over you. You may say, but what if it is something that can cause great harm or even death, does it not have power? The late Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were fully aware of their possible outcomes. Yet their belief in their cause overpowered the foreboding dread of what could happen.

History Repeated

It was 1966. I was a sixth-grader living in Connecticut for five years now. The walk home from school to Stowe Village, the projects where we lived, was an enjoyable one. Most times I’d walk the three short blocks alone. We had always lived in a big house in North Carolina with Mom, Aunt Lucille, my cousins and Moma. It was a new experience in the projects. The neighbors were butted right up next to our apartment, on all sides, above and below. You could even hear what was going on in their apartments if they got too loud. Well anyway, I’d arrive home to watch television and ignore any orders given me by my older sister to clean up before Mom came home. I enjoyed aggravating her. That was my daily routine until I noticed Betty Jean walking home my way.

Super Girl Saves the Day

Betty Jean was, let’s just say, not the prettiest girl in school. But she was nice and quiet like myself. She didn’t walk with me because she always made it out of school before I did and was well ahead of me. Every day a group of three girls would run to catch up to Betty Jean to pick on her and push her around. Every day, I felt bad for her but I knew I couldn’t do anything alone. One afternoon I had about enough and I could imagine Betty Jean did too. I told my brother and sister who were in high school at the time. They being the good Samaritans they are, agreed to help her.

The next day I deliberately caught up to Betty Jean to walk with her. I could hear those girls closing in on us. I don’t know if they were thinking two for the price of one or what. Before they could get started good my brother and sister seemed to appear from nowhere towering over me, Betty Jean and those three girls. Whew! What a relief and just in time! Their plans thwarted; the girls walked off mumbling among themselves. The day was saved! Betty Jean never had a problem after that. Not at all! No siree! I was the target from that day on.

The wrath she had experienced on a daily basis was now passed over to me! No longer was my walk pleasant. It was filled with anxiety. I was in a tussle with those girls almost everyday. And Betty Jean? She was no where to be found.

Breaking Free

To break fear’s control, you have to believe in a cause that is more powerful than your fear where you are forced to choose your cause over your fear. Your cause doesn’t have to be worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize; it can be as simple as wanting to be in control of your own thoughts and actions. There’s one last definition of F.E.A.R. I’d like to leave with you and that is, 

FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL

Most things aren’t always as we perceive them. Our fears will only go as far as we allow our imagination to take them. Knowledge is powerful. It dispels the imagination and fosters respect not fear. I’ve done my research and I respect the 13,000 feet I will fall from so I will take every precaution to ensure I land safely. Do I care to climb Mt. Everest? No research necessary there…I have no desire to do that to face my fear of heights. Note, I said face my fear. After my sky-dive is over I still may be uncomfortable looking over the edge of tall buildings but I will know what its like to have control when that fear confronts me. So, for that fear that most impacts you,  don’t let your imagination run rampant, investigate it. Understand where it came from. Determine if you want control and if so, FACE IT! A word of caution: Please let common sense prevail.

Countdown: Three Days to Flight

It’s Wednesday, three days before I face my giant. On Saturday, despite having no solid surface beneath me to afford the confidence I am most familiar with, I want to be in control of my mind, my thoughts and actions. Much like David in the Bible was in control of his faculties when he stood before Goliath with a stone and a slingshot. I want to be present in the moment, taking it all in. I don’t want my mind to thrash about like someone in a lake that can’t swim. Yes, I know I can’t fly but for that 6-minute sky-dive, I will be! Yes, there are things that can go wrong but there are so many more things that can go right!

If allowed, I want to bring the names of my children and grandchildren up with me and release them with a prayer that my flight will inspire them that it’s never too late to achieve and with God all things are possible. Yes, I literally want to leave that prayer in the atmosphere!

My vitals? Still excited, hoping for good weather.