Fear no more

I think I am a lucky person. I don't frighten easily. Oh that doesn't mean that there aren't things which scare me. I am not one to take a lot of risks. You won't find me climbing Everest or lining up to do one of those super roller coasters. Oh I might climb small hills or do more reasonable amusement rides, but I know that somethings are just out of my comfort zone. I am not crazy about snakes and spiders, but have adopted a I won't bother them if they don't bother me attitude" about them. You won't see me driving at 160 kph, but it is not that I am afraid to do so, I just don't see any reason to do so. I have my irrational fear (birds flying near me frighten me) but when you get right down to it, I don't think fear controls my life.

But right now we seem to be living in a time of fear. Politicians in this country and around the world are using fear in order to get elected. The media is constantly telling us stories that cause us to fear the other. Even though the chances of getting killed in a terrorist attack are smaller than getting killed crossing a street or being hit by lightning, the media and politicians have made terrorism our number one concern.  In a world where fear becomes our prime motivator, distrust develops, and hatred of the stranger increases. Hatred often leads to violence. Violence makes us more afraid. Discord wins out.

The Late American President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, told a world suffering from the Great Depression that we have nothing to fear but fear itself. He knew that if people were afraid to invest, if people were afraid to buy, if people were afraid to hire more workers, then the economy was doomed. Only by showing confidence, would the world be able to lift itself out of the Depression. Fear for Franklin Roosevelt was a living entity that destroyed all good things. Fear was a powerful force that could destroy the world.

FDR showed that fear could be conquered. If we worked together, good things were possible. If we worked together and put aside our fears, our world would be a better place.

Our world needs an FDR right now. Someone who can tell us to put aside our fears and move forward together rather than to live in fear. Fear is a powerful force. It has taken control of our press and our politicians. It is destroying our world. But together we can overcome the power of fear. If we work together, we can make our world a more human place. Now if only I could learn to like spiders.  Blessings.