“I wish that you will never sacrifice joy for fear if you can possibly help it, and you can probably help it more often than you think.”
Elizabeth Berg
“Often we choose what is safe, rather than what is right.”
Coke McClure
“Being honest is a lot harder than being good.”
Peggy Godfrey
So, let’s talk about fear. We’re all afraid of something; some of us of many things, especially in these turbulent times. We resist talking about fear, as if speaking of it will make it larger, or more true, but fear is like the monster that lived under your bed when you were a kid. Maybe you played it safe and stayed huddled under the covers, but the right thing to do was to check it out. If you got down and looked under the bed, and especially if your mom got down there with you, you discovered that all you saw was a few dust bunnies and a shadow or two. If you were sure that the monster was hiding in the shadow, a flashlight took care of that notion. Of course, some of us needed to check under the bed every night just in case a monster really had moved in when we weren’t looking. And maybe we still need to employ that tactic now and then when worry just won’t be banished. That’s ok, worry hates bright light as much as monsters do.
It’s tempting to put on a brave face in these unusual days we are experiencing, but we all need somewhere to speak honestly about our concerns. Once out in the open, it’s easier to find was to let the joy come in. A group I meet with on zoom has discussed things we do to survive the uncertainty and worry that isolation has brought to many of us. One woman makes quilts. Someone else has become a television addict, but it at least takes her mind off the negatives. Others walk the dog, listen to music, garden, or make it a point to call people and ask how they are doing.
Bruce and I have tried to keep a balance between normalcy and caution. We mask and social distance when going out for errands, but don’t hesitate to do the necessary ones. We have done a few social gatherings that seemed safe, and spent time with loved ones. And living in the country makes it possible to have a fairly normal routine with plenty of opportunity for exercise and moments of joy watching wildlife and sunsets, or breathing in the crisp fall air while stacking firewood against the deep cold days to come. I admit to having become a lot more familiar with zoom than I ever wanted to be, but it has offered chances for spiritual growth, discussions, and fellowship with people I would normally never have met.
Be honest with yourself and others. Brainstorm for things that challenge you to grow, offer joy, and, oh yeah, watch a lot less news. Have you noticed that most of the media concentrates on giving you something more to worry or be angry about? I’ve stopped watching certain programs and listening to certain radio stations that focus on negatives, innuendo, and skewed statistics. Most of the news I need comes through the local newspaper, and the papers need our support more than ever.
Assignment: Sit down right now and make a note of something that brought you joy today. See, that was easy, wasn’t it? Keep it up.