These days, fear surrounds us. It’s used in selling news, selling programs and getting you to buy the latest medications. Like a thick fog, a sense of fear surrounds you, making it hard to clearly see what’s going on.
The familiar things become strange and threatening when fear comes on the scene.
When fear surrounds you, everything changes. Even familiar sites start looking sinister.
I was reminded of this the other nights when my dogs, Chuck and Ike, woke me from a deep sleep with sudden intense barking. The sudden sound startled me. I decided to investigate.
My heart was beating fast and my head was in a dazed state. The familiar suddenly became threatening. In my half-awake state, it didn’t take much to startle me.
On reaching the back door, I peered into the darkness, but could see nothing. The continued barking told me “It’s there! It’s there!” but I couldn’t see. I reached for the light switch thinking some illumination would settle things down.
In the light, the familiar returned and although I was calmer, the dogs weren’t. They knew a threat was out there. After a few deep breaths, I was my usual self. I reassured the dogs and things settled down for the moment.
The next morning, I went out to investigate further and discovered what the dogs knew. The threat was gone. The seeds lying scattered all over the porch were tell tale signs that the bandit-faced racoon had paid us a visit.
When you receive the sudden news of an affair, it’s startling. It shakes your world. The familiar becomes threatening. Your heart races faster and you mind imagines the worst.
At those times, you need someone to turn on the light, time to take a deep breath and for the strange to become familiar again.
It’s fear that changes everything. It gives you bad advice, points you in the wrong direction and brings confusion. It creates monsters where there aren’t any.
Your own fears make things worse than they really are. You can move past those fears and your secret fears. They don’t have to keep tormenting you and keeping you from enjoying life.
Best Regards,
