One newspaper advice columnist was asked if there was a
predominanttheme in her readers' request for help. She replied,
"Yes, there is --fear.
"People are afraid of losing their loved ones,
their health,their wealth. People are afraid of life itself."
Going to the dentist is a fearful experience for
many people.One manjokingly listed his middle name as "Wimp" on the
admittance form. Thereceptionist read it, laughed and assured him that there
was nothingto worry about. "Besides," she added, "many patients
felt the sameway."
Half an hour later, the same receptionist came into the
waiting room.Looking directly at the nervous patient, she said,
smiling, "Thedoctor will now see the wimp."
Three other people got up with him.
At least those people were there! Too often we find it
easier to avoida thing we fear and never grow beyond it. In order to do
all we wantto do and to live as fully as possible, we will have to
learn tomanage our fears.
I believe that it was Dr. Paul Tournier who once
compared life to aman swinging on a trapeze. Back and forth he went. The
bar was hiswhole life -- back and forth, back and forth. He hung on
tightly andfelt secure. He knew nothing other than swinging on the
trapeze --back and forth.
Then one day another bar came into view and he faced a
dilemma. Whatwas he to do? Should he reach for the new bar? Should he
take thechance ... abandon the security he'd always known and
venture forth toa new place? He felt excited, and a little scared.
The moment of truth dawned, however, when he realized
that, in orderto reach the new bar, he would have to LET GO of the old
one. Thethought terrified him. But he knew that he could never
move aheadunless he left the place where he was.
Our lives are filled with fearful moments and anxious
decisions.
Managing the fear sometimes means letting go and just
doing it. It'sthe only way to move ahead.
Do you need to let go and take hold of that new thing?
The rewardcould be the life you've been wanting.
