Day 9: a poem a day in the month of may

fear

Good morning friends,

I’m in Lake Tahoe for a few days, speaking at a small conference right on the water. I’ve never been to this area, and as much as I love the mountains, I don’t know a lot about them. So I sit with all the visceral feelings that come with mountain living: the excitement, the courage, and yes, the fear.

Fear.

Today’s word is one that can mean so many different things to each of us, but there’s not doubt that it’s universal. We all experience fear.

I can’t wait to read your take on it.

Photo by Jas Min on Unsplash

What is it about fear,
this thing passed down
generation to generation
like a well-tended
but never talked about
Curse?

How have we managed
to give it so much life,
to allow it to grow and inflame
every corner of our tired
souls?

Fear of the other
Fear of ourselves
Fear of loss
Fear of wanting
Fear of change
Fear of fear itself

Is there an antidote,
a way to stop this,
to name and remove
the poison that plagues
even the best of us?

Give me your hand
place your own hand on your heart
put your pen to the journal page
grab onto something, someone,
and ask what might happen
if we let go.

And then, let go.

Fear can only hold on if we are.