I am reminded by a Georgia O’Keefe quote. She said she was afraid to do most things, but the fear of not experiencing them was greater so she did them anyway!
Georgia O'Keefe had it right, in my opinion. (And, what I wouldn't give to have her artistic talent.) I have a quote on my bulletin board that reads, "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." Kind of the same thought.
You are so much braver than me, Kaarin! Having survived some scary, if not ultimately life-threatening, experiences in my life, I am now all about minimizing my exposure to things that could cause me to die -- like seeking anacondas in the Amazon. That said, your point about facing your greatest outlandish fears to better address practical ones is well taken. I have a fear of driving over bridges, and am terrified that someday I will fall down a flight of stairs and break my neck. But I can't avoid stairs my whole life, and sometimes the only way to get to a magical place -- or simply back home -- is over a bridge. I am petrified by spiders, and when I was a kid, my mother finally had enough of my wailing that I had seen yet another spider in the house. She stood there with me until I killed it and removed the remains myself. I hate disposing of spiders to this day, but have also learned that there are so many bigger things to fear -- like a rapidly changing climate, out-of-control gun violence, and the decimation of my rights as a woman to control my own reproductive choices. I am so glad that you didn't have to deal with a live anaconda -- there are so many fears to tackle, that you shouldn't have to face them all :)
Wow! Shirley you've got amazing perspective. I share your concerns about climate change, gun violence and reproductive rights, and I'm always inspired by how those fears don't paralyze you,. On the contrary -- they compel you to work for positive change.
I am reminded by a Georgia O’Keefe quote. She said she was afraid to do most things, but the fear of not experiencing them was greater so she did them anyway!
Georgia O'Keefe had it right, in my opinion. (And, what I wouldn't give to have her artistic talent.) I have a quote on my bulletin board that reads, "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." Kind of the same thought.
Love that line! The marriage of fortitude and resilience is a theme I keep coming back to as well.
You are so much braver than me, Kaarin! Having survived some scary, if not ultimately life-threatening, experiences in my life, I am now all about minimizing my exposure to things that could cause me to die -- like seeking anacondas in the Amazon. That said, your point about facing your greatest outlandish fears to better address practical ones is well taken. I have a fear of driving over bridges, and am terrified that someday I will fall down a flight of stairs and break my neck. But I can't avoid stairs my whole life, and sometimes the only way to get to a magical place -- or simply back home -- is over a bridge. I am petrified by spiders, and when I was a kid, my mother finally had enough of my wailing that I had seen yet another spider in the house. She stood there with me until I killed it and removed the remains myself. I hate disposing of spiders to this day, but have also learned that there are so many bigger things to fear -- like a rapidly changing climate, out-of-control gun violence, and the decimation of my rights as a woman to control my own reproductive choices. I am so glad that you didn't have to deal with a live anaconda -- there are so many fears to tackle, that you shouldn't have to face them all :)
Wow! Shirley you've got amazing perspective. I share your concerns about climate change, gun violence and reproductive rights, and I'm always inspired by how those fears don't paralyze you,. On the contrary -- they compel you to work for positive change.
Your bravery is one of my favorite things about you. Great writing too, I felt like I was in the Amazon with you.
Thank you Laura. Always so happy to have you along "on the journey."