Fear in the Form of Heights
A wise (ahem! ahem!) person once told me that Bravery was not when one chooses to act on something without fear but rather it is when one acts on something with fear.
Given this therefore, what is bravery in the context of climbing a steep mountain on foot? For people like those mountaineers who just topped climbing Everest (hats off to you guys!!), they will probably say that they're not afraid of heights and go on with their climb. But what about those like me who are frightened of even the thought of falling off the mountain but chooses to climb anyway despite the fear?
It is characteristic of me to be afraid of many things. I fear disorder, chaos, failure and defeats. I fear the thought of even disappointing or letting someone down. I fear snakes, the eventuality of a fire, death etc. Even the littlest things like heights and missing an appointment or being late for anything (okay that is kind of OC there...) I wonder therefore if there is anything left for me to fear.
BUT- my fears don't necessarily make me a coward. What would define cowardice would be precisely my decision to act on things despite my fears, or do otherwise.
The best feeling would be the feeling of absolute fulfilment after having "conquered" a particular fear by being brave and sticking it out there. Sure, doing something you are afraid of is not a hundred percent safe... I could very well fall off the mountain right? But- in that same way, I could trip on my shoelace and hit my head on the pavement and die anyway right? (hmmm getting kind of morbid here... hehe) My point being- that at the end of the day, it would almost always be better to conquer one fear at a time, despite the risks and expectations, rather than wait for the fear to pass you by. Because fear never lapses on its own. You don't wake up one day not being afraid of scratching your knees when you bike- your fear dissipates when you wake up, get on your bike- and just....bike, with or without the scratched knees.
I don't know about you, but I would rather be bruised and beaten knowing I tried, than forever wonder what could've been had I not let the opportunity pass me by.
Oh and by the way? Heights don't fear me as much anymore as it did. I'm sure you get my drift.
Given this therefore, what is bravery in the context of climbing a steep mountain on foot? For people like those mountaineers who just topped climbing Everest (hats off to you guys!!), they will probably say that they're not afraid of heights and go on with their climb. But what about those like me who are frightened of even the thought of falling off the mountain but chooses to climb anyway despite the fear?
It is characteristic of me to be afraid of many things. I fear disorder, chaos, failure and defeats. I fear the thought of even disappointing or letting someone down. I fear snakes, the eventuality of a fire, death etc. Even the littlest things like heights and missing an appointment or being late for anything (okay that is kind of OC there...) I wonder therefore if there is anything left for me to fear.
BUT- my fears don't necessarily make me a coward. What would define cowardice would be precisely my decision to act on things despite my fears, or do otherwise.
The best feeling would be the feeling of absolute fulfilment after having "conquered" a particular fear by being brave and sticking it out there. Sure, doing something you are afraid of is not a hundred percent safe... I could very well fall off the mountain right? But- in that same way, I could trip on my shoelace and hit my head on the pavement and die anyway right? (hmmm getting kind of morbid here... hehe) My point being- that at the end of the day, it would almost always be better to conquer one fear at a time, despite the risks and expectations, rather than wait for the fear to pass you by. Because fear never lapses on its own. You don't wake up one day not being afraid of scratching your knees when you bike- your fear dissipates when you wake up, get on your bike- and just....bike, with or without the scratched knees.
I don't know about you, but I would rather be bruised and beaten knowing I tried, than forever wonder what could've been had I not let the opportunity pass me by.
Oh and by the way? Heights don't fear me as much anymore as it did. I'm sure you get my drift.
posted by kath | 4:48 PM
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