Fear is an amazingly powerful emotion. It causes us to hold on tightly to exactly the thing we don’t want. Fear masquerades as having to have it my way because it is the best way…I am protecting others. It shows up as distrust…someone is taking advantage of me or of others and so up goes the shield. We experience fear in our bodies as rigid and resistant…incapable of opening up…and we call this protecting our self. We express fear as anger, self-righteousness, superiority, degrading others, hurtful words, jealousy, glaring looks, judgment, gossip and revenge. Yes, the source of all of these emotions is fear.
How do I know this? Well, I believe there are only two sources of all emotions. One source is fear and the other source is love. That’s it…two sources, two ways to bring our self to life. We either come from compassion and understanding or from fear in any of its forms. But…you start to say…but what about the tough stuff in my life and the difficult people and the hard times? Don’t I have the right to be mad…don’t I have a good reason to be jealous or to judge someone? After all they are in the wrong!
Sharon Landsberry is the wife of the middle school teacher Mike, who was killed at the school in October by a 12-year-old boy. She had this to say to the parents of the boy, “Knowing why doesn’t matter. My husband laid down his life doing what he loved to do, and protecting the ones he loved.” And to the interviewer she said “That family is going to grieve just like we are.”…and “My husband loved the shooter no matter what.”
What is it in your life that is so monumental to rise above than the heartache and pain of the situation in which Sharon found herself? Using her example of coming from love in a most difficult time, what choice can you make to cast fear aside…to release and let go of whatever is causing you to express fear…and to make a conscious choice to relax your body and your mind and heart…and to come from love?
In this season of love, decide to do just that.
Peace always
Paula
