- Chiun "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins"
A friend of mine once related in a blog post about how through a series of events they managed to ‘kick fear’s ass’ and break out from the self imposed walls that surrounded them. Having finally broken out of the box, they now see with renewed eyes of hope and a sense of empowerment they had not previously known in their brief existence in this life thus far. They considered themselves to be ‘fearless’, and it’s this phrase that gives me pause to muse over.
As related in the quote above, fear is just a feeling, and one we often give far more power to than it deserves. It is this very empowerment that holds us back on the path, like a heavy rock in a fast moving stream. This is also true of any feeling in which we give more power, intentional or not. It’s all too easy to become unbalanced in this ‘Verse. Sometimes it sneaks up on you when you’re least aware (or most vulnerable), and it can take an entire lifetime in which to right the imbalance, sometimes several lifetimes.
“Learning that we’re only immortal, for a limited time.”
- Rush
However, to completely live without a certain emotion or feeling can also create an imbalance. Fear exists simply to remind us that we are mortal, nothing more. To live fearless, without any fear, is to believe ourselves to be immortal, and that belief can lead one down a reckless path. We are fragile beings, heart and soul, and without fear to keep us in check, we can extend far beyond our own limitations, and, as Dirty Harry Callahan would put it:
“A man’s got to know his limitations.”
Fear (like any other emotion) should be fully embraced, then let go. That’s it. No emotion or feeling is meant to be withheld for very long. It’s meant to be acknowledged in the grand scheme of the ‘Verse, then released back into the flow. Energy remains in motion, constant motion. We are never idle, nor should your feelings be.
Considering just how limited our time is in this life, emotions and feelings (regardless of how powerful) should never stand in your way. They should only tap you on the shoulder from time to time when you happen to step off the path. I live with fear, but I don’t hold its hand. I give it a quick nod to let it know it’s there, then keep moving forward.
You can trim a predator’s claws, but if you remove them completely, you take away everything it was, and everything it is. Let fear do its thing, but you keep doing your thing.
There’s still plenty of other ass to kick out there.
