What is fear? I read that fear is an emotional response induced by a perceived threat, which causes a change in brain and organ function, as well as in behavior. Fear can lead us to hide, to run away, or to freeze in our shoes. Fear may arise from a confrontation or from avoiding a threat, or it may come in the form of a discovery.
When I was younger, fear came in the form of a scary movie, like The Shining or Nightmare on Elm Street. A little bit later, the fright was whether or not I would get picked in the neighborhood basketball game, and a little bit after that it was which girl I should ask to the school dance. After that, dread was dealt in the form of finding a job after college, and then consternation came about keeping that same job. …show more content…
It didn’t come in the form of a movie, or a girl. It came in the form of being diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. It rushed into my life like a tsunami, reaping havoc and filling my mind with doubt and anxiety, my intellect with worry and unknown. I was quite literally in fear of losing my life.
My first reaction was utter shock. I didn’t know what was to come, but hearing words like cancer took the air out of me, as if I were punched in the gut by a heavyweight boxer. I knew that the fear I was experiencing was rational, and was certainly modulated by the process of cognition and learning. All the negative connotations with such an illness, and such a severe stage as well. Fear felt natural. It felt real. Ironically, it made me feel alive.
Clearly fear has a place in our lives, but I wasn’t about to let it control me. No way would I allow it to dictate how I chose to live. Not a chance. It’s easy to ignore our fears, but courage won’t make it to the playing field unless you have a fear to face down. By owning my feelings I took the first step toward gaining control over the situation as best as I
When I was younger, fear came in the form of a scary movie, like The Shining or Nightmare on Elm Street. A little bit later, the fright was whether or not I would get picked in the neighborhood basketball game, and a little bit after that it was which girl I should ask to the school dance. After that, dread was dealt in the form of finding a job after college, and then consternation came about keeping that same job. …show more content…
It didn’t come in the form of a movie, or a girl. It came in the form of being diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. It rushed into my life like a tsunami, reaping havoc and filling my mind with doubt and anxiety, my intellect with worry and unknown. I was quite literally in fear of losing my life.
My first reaction was utter shock. I didn’t know what was to come, but hearing words like cancer took the air out of me, as if I were punched in the gut by a heavyweight boxer. I knew that the fear I was experiencing was rational, and was certainly modulated by the process of cognition and learning. All the negative connotations with such an illness, and such a severe stage as well. Fear felt natural. It felt real. Ironically, it made me feel alive.
Clearly fear has a place in our lives, but I wasn’t about to let it control me. No way would I allow it to dictate how I chose to live. Not a chance. It’s easy to ignore our fears, but courage won’t make it to the playing field unless you have a fear to face down. By owning my feelings I took the first step toward gaining control over the situation as best as I