Where do the fears we have begin? For me, some fears come from things I have already experienced and certainly do not want to go through again. In addition I know that events can happen for which I have no control even with my best intentions and hopes. We do have some control over our actions, but we have no control over the choices others make. Some of those decisions made by others may contribute to our fears. So with this intro, here are my observations about me on this day, at this time.
I am afraid of hurting someone's feelings.
There have been times that I know I have hurt someone's feelings by my actions or inactions, or through words. (This seems to be part of life for a lot of people.) On occasion it has been through feeling caught in the thick of things and not being true to my own feelings. Sometimes, not realizing that to say nothing, would have been the kinder response.
I am afraid of not being able to see clearly where I am going.
Being able to "see" literally is important and necessary to me, but it also applies to the direction I will take at different points in my life.
I am afraid of falling.
I now know how quickly that can happen for me and what that outcome may be. Nope, do not like it, and do not want repeats.
I am afraid of not being able to communicate due to illness or accident.
Having personally witnessed this in others, I see and feel the distress this causes for the person, family, friends and care givers.
I am afraid of mean or overly protective dogs.
Being attacked while walking our leashed dog along a road and being attacked by a lab (so totally out of character for that breed) was very scary. To be honest it was our dog that was attacked, but the incident left an indelible impression on me.
I am afraid of big spiders that jump toward a person who might be approaching.
Some wolf spiders do this, and they are fast! How dare they!
I am afraid of what happens when people fail to learn from the sins, mistakes, and foibles recorded in historical records and images.
Since much is being said about this subject in the current day, I am going to leave it at that, to keep this post short.
Do you have any fears that you want to admit? Come on, you know you do. Fess up.
If my post had gone in a different direction, I was going to name stuff that I've done before that I'm now afraid of. I'm going to fess up that I used to love riding on rollercoasters but now that I'm 47 and can get a back spasm bending to tie my shoe, I am afraid that the rattling of rollercoaster would hurt me bad. I'm afraid of stuff that used to be fun that I feel would hurt my feelings to be physically hurt by - such as skating. I fell a few years ago and haven't skated since. :-(
ReplyDeleteOh, you are so much braver than I am. I do not like high places if there is any possibility of me falling in or out, etc. I completely overlooked that one on my list. I have found that a roller coaster like ride in a dark place is fine, such as at Disneyland. I appreciate your concern with jerking movements possibly causing back pain. Back spasms are the worst!
DeleteI'm afraid of hurting people's feelings too. It's so hard to balance being authentic and honest with being authentic and honest when we know it may hurt somebody's feelings. I try to think about what's better... but still, so hard! Spiders are scary all the time, and I wish they would just be more scared of me than I am of them, but they're not... and as to people not learning from their mistakes and sins and and and??? Yes. Me, too. I can't even begin to say but the world is so scary now...
ReplyDeleteLife truly is a balancing act in so many ways.
DeleteThanks for stopping by and many thanks for your blog and for having Kenya as a co-host too.
"We do have some control over our actions, but we have no control over the choices others make... such a simple lesson, so remarkably difficult to master! (We used to have a fun expression in the early days of the Doctrine, used when someone said, 'What does your Doctrine have to can help get this other person to..." we'd say, 'This is for you, not them'.
ReplyDeleteAnd it wasn't meant in a selfish/self-centered way, just a reminder (hopefully) that not only can we not control what others think and feel, but we're responsible for how we feel.
Excellent, thought-provoking FTSF
Exactly, Clark! No one wants to feel controlled by someone. Being able to choose for oneself is of utmost importance.
DeleteDefinitely many on your list that is on my list here, especially hurting someone's feelings. I truly hate thinking I could be the cause of someone feeling badly. So much so that I have learned over the years to bite my tongue as much as possible and as my mother taught me to "think before I speak".
ReplyDeleteMother's have such wise things to say, and probably gained some of their wisdom through their own experiences.
DeleteI didn't participate in this FTSF because I am afraid of so many things. I like the way you organized your post. I recently read in " A Gentleman in Moscow" (good historical fiction) that you must control your circumstances or they will control you. (His were quite strange). Simple, but not easy, are the way with many of life's challenges.
ReplyDeleteI just read a couple of reviews about "A Gentleman in Moscow." This sounds like a book I would enjoy and should read.
Delete"Simple, but not easy" sounds like weight loss attempts. HaHa
I know what you mean, and often that can become difficult because stepping in to assist might not be understood nor accepted, but then again it might. It is the unknowing of what the outcome might be that is a problem.
ReplyDeleteWolf spiders. Scary!
ReplyDeleteI also really like how you used "see" in two ways. It's my fear too.
Even the name wolf spider is a little intimidating.
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