Today’s Writing 101 Prompt: We all have anxieties, worries, and fears. What are you scared of? Address one of your worst fears.
The definition of fear is:
1. a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc.,whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.
2. a specific instance of or propensity for such a feeling: an abnormal fear of heights.
3. concern or anxiety; solicitude: a fear for someone’s safety.
4. reverential awe, especially toward God: the fear of God.
5. something that causes feelings of dread or apprehension; something aperson is afraid of: Cancer is a common fear.
6. anticipation of the possibility that something unpleasant will occur: Having grown up during the Great Depression, he had a constant fearof running out of money.*
Which to start with? Let’s just go down the list, shall we? Most of the time I am free of number one, for which I am quite grateful.
Number two, now that one I know intimately. I am not sure why, but fire is terrifying. Specifically, my house burning down. I have never had a fire in any house or structure owned by my family. So I don’t know why this is my special fear. But it seems connected to my OCD in that I am always afraid I did not check something–like the iron–and thus my house won’t be there when I round the curve coming home. I am terrified that if my house catches my dogs will die, and I can’t help picturing them cowering in a corner as the flames come nearer. And then there are the family items that I have that were my parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents that can never be replaced. Perhaps my fear of fire is really a fear of loss? It is the one way that I could lose almost everything I hold dear in one fell swoop.
I also am quite familiar with number three. That I feel for almost everyone in the world. The civil uprisings here in America; terrorism in the Middle East; severe earthquakes and volcanos releasing across the globe; poverty in so many nations. All I can do is hope that people help each other and those trying to lead a normal, happy life are successful; despite the going-ons around them. I would love justice to prevail in all these situations, but sometimes just getting by is and sticking together is all we can hope for.
Where were we? Oh yes, number four. I have never had a fear of God. I believe in a good God, a God that wants us to succeed. He can give us the tools, but it is the decisions we make (read: free will) that determine the events. Perhaps I am too lackadaisical, and I should fear God, but I am happy to have one less thing to worry about.
Number five: dread and apprehension. I think we all have those feelings. Who hasn’t dreaded an unknown situation, be it work or family? And sometimes the known situation is worse, when you know someone is going to yell, or fire someone, or in general wreak havoc. Fortunately, those situations pass over fairly quickly (I hope) and we get to move on with our lives.
I think number six is just pessimism. Past experiences can lead us to look at the world a certain way. But I like to look beyond the events and be optimistic. In fact, my glass is not only full, it is overflowing. Whereas my hubby’s glass is half full with a hole in the bottom. Yes, we balance each other quite nicely.
So what is there to fear? Only the fear, and that it may prevent us from doing something. My fear of fire/loss could prevent me from leaving the house–but I won’t let it. My fear for the safety of our world, and the terrible things that happen could prevent me hoping that some day people will realize that hurting one another is pointless–but I keep hoping. I hope you do too.
*http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fear?s=t
Mary looked at the broad back apprehensively. This was not what she meant when she agreed to a tour of the local fjord.
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