What are you afraid of?

       By far, this week has made me think more than all the previous. Fear is a thing of great variety and possibility. I've realized that I'm afraid of much more than I thought. My response to mostly everyone's fears were "wow, yeah, that is really scary." So it seems reasonable enough that my fear-jar felt a little extra full this week. The list of fears I heard about goes on and on.

I am most afraid of:

Failing

The unknown

My life having no meaning

Going through things alone

Being unwanted

Dying before my children

Giving into my desires

Dying alone

Emotions I can't control

Not knowing myself

Being too much to handle
Never being good enough

       But there are specifically two responses that especially struck me. The first one was from a sweet seven year-old who happens to be one of my favorite people. She said "I am most scared of being in a mall when someone starts shooting a gun." Listening to her say these words almost broke my heart. This tells us a lot about the society and culture that we're currently living in. The fact that this little girl knew of this danger in the world and was able to be terrified of it was enough to scare me for our society as a whole. It doesn't seem fair that a joy-fulled all-good little girl like this could have such fears and ideas in her head. The culture we're surrounded by plays a huge role in what we fear. It influences us in way we don't even comprehend. 

       With that in mind, the second response that instantly grabbed my attention was from one of my fellow college students. I asked her what she feared and with all sincerity and a slight chuckle she said, "What am I not afraid of?" I honestly don't know any other statement that could better sum up my experience this week. As people, we all fear something and some could argue that we all fear everything at some point. Therefore, yes, we all got that part; fear is inevitable. So then what do we do with it? How do we react? How do we live despite it? I really don't know, but if there is anything I did learn this week, it is that we talk about it. Fears lose size and power when they're spoken out loud. There is this strange sense you get when you talk with people about what they're afraid of, this sense that it is all not reality.  The person you're talking to about your fears becomes all the more important and all the more real rather than the fear itself.

       I dare you to ask someone what they are most afraid of. You'll be surprised to find out what some people are really seeking or avoiding. 

Next question: How many people really know you?