Where I Walk: Fear and Truth




Fear.

This week’s essay in Dear Teachers is a poem about my struggles with fear caused by doubt. I think we can all agree that fear and doubt are extremely painful. You may not have this problem as much in your life, but I think everyone battles them from time to time. I doubt myself quite a bit. Others fear and doubt outside forces more. To some, the inside is to blame. For others, pain must come from without.

When I can look at it from a safe distance, I can see the steps I should take. In truth, sometimes I’m right and sometimes I’m wrong. Sometimes the outside is right and sometimes the outside is wrong. Hiding may be an option, but it keeps us from moving down the path.

When we stumble, what is our light?

I kind of hope you have to sit for a moment before you answer that for yourself. A quick, canned answer would be so cool- so easy. But life’s not easy. It’s a myriad of things all together. People, places, moments and ideas. And the bigger our web of light, the stronger and longer we can walk through pain.

This, coming from a quiet introvert who was fed the idea of the superiority of self-sufficiency from birth. I need other voices. We’re facing yet another winter storm this weekend. The harsh pellets of ice, sleet and snow are like the words of doubt that ping upon me. Without other voices, I’d easily become buried and frozen like the tender daffodils in my yard this morning.

Other voices melt our rigidity.

Life’s messy and we don’t have all the answers. But we’ll hopefully know so much more tomorrow, the next day, and the next, because we’ll be seeking a clearer view. “Truly” will become more “true”.

IF we’re willing to think, speak, look and see beyond the fear and doubt, inside and out.


I hope you have been enjoying and getting something positive out of Dear Teachers and my weekly updates. If you have a copy, a review on Amazon would be very helpful. Also, Teacher Appreciation Week begins May 7, and I have always considered Dear Teachers as a great gift of thanks and forward-looking hope and encouragement for those important teachers in your life. A yearlong gift for $15. Please share with your own circle if you agree.

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