Is it really possible for a person to live without ever having to be afraid? I highly doubt that. Fear is a part of life, it is something that we can’t avoid, even if we do not like it. it is like a default setting that comes with the entire package of being a human. And as long as there are people in this world, and they all have the ability to think and act freely, there will always be one thing or the other that can strike fear into the hearts of others. I sat, thinking long and hard as I tried to recall a time I had been scared. I realized that it had happened more times than I could possibly count. After all, what is fear if not the one thing that keeps us in check at all times? In case many of us do not know, fear is something we all should have. As a matter of fact, it is something we should pray to have. Because it is the one thing that keeps many of us from making mistakes that could end up ruining our lives. Take for instance, when you have to cross a major road that is an expressway where vehicles are driving at top speed. There are pedestrian bridges but they are too far for you and you are in a hurry. You know that it will be extremely risky for you to try and cross the road without using the bridge because the likelihood of you getting hit by a vehicle will be high. It is that fear that will make you see reason, and you will take the safer route. Which is the pedestrian bridge, and most probably saving your life. People always think that bravery is the lack of fear. But that is very wrong because the lack of fear makes one foolish and therefore makes them make stupid decisions that can ruin their lives. Bravery is the ability to face your struggles in spite of fears. A brave person is not one without fears, but instead one that has conquered his/her fears. And once a person can conquer his fear, what else is out there in the world that they can’t conquer? So, for me, I have definitely had my own fair share of fear. As a matter of fact, I have had it quite a number of times. I do not even know which one to start with. During the Corona Virus pandemic of 2020, back when the world was still in the tight grip of the virus and was gasping for air. The world was on lockdown and my dear country was not left out. Everyone was ordered to remain indoors for their own safety, and everything including markets and schools was shut down. I spent the lockdown in my village because it was closer and I did not have the time to go all the way to Lagos. Every day, we heard stories of how the authorities were harassing people who flouted the stay-at-home order. Soldiers and police officers were beating civilians who were just trying to get food to eat or find some money so they could survive. It was a tough time indeed. And we were running out of food quickly because we were staying at home all day with nothing much to do and nowhere to go. Under such conditions, things like food never last. So I had to get us food or we were going to starve. And knowing the kind of party I might meet on the road, I was really scared indeed. I was scared that I would stumble into a soldier and they will beat the letter B out of my name. Or I would meet some police officers who will just arrest me for no reason at all. I know they were trying to do their jobs with respect to curbing the spread of the virus, but the way they were going about it was just so wrong. And moreover, seeing as our leaders were hoarding the palliatives for themselves each man had to fend for himself if they wanted to survive. It was not rocket science. Anyway, I set off for the market. I had to trek it because there was no bus. It was as if I had lost my neck that day because I was just looking 360 degrees in case I would see anyone that looked even remotely like they were wearing some sort of uniform. I was on high alert that day as if I was a criminal. I got to the market, and I found a lot of people just like me. it was just like that moment when you are feeling bad for something you did, then you realize that everyone is also doing it so then it doesn’t feel so bad anymore. Even though it is still bad. Anyway, seeing the people in the market as well bolstered my spirits. While the tension was still there and everyone was on high alert, I was able to relax a little. Because then I was not the only one that was on the lookout, and I knew that if anything was to happen, we all would scatter and I would be able to find my way out. That day, I bought enough foodstuffs and luckily I also found someone that was going to my village as well, and so we went back together. The return trip was just like the first, I was always on the lookout. Ready for the slightest provocation, I was even thinking of how I would abandon the foodstuffs and run if any of the authorities turned up. Well, thankfully, that trip went without a hitch. It was one of the scariest trips I have ever made to the market, and I was not even able to fully get myself until I was under my roof once again. And it wasn’t until I had actually gone out that I realized that a lot of people were actually going out, defying the lockdown order. But who could blame them? No one was a robot, we all had to eat, and to eat we all needed money. And to make money, many of us need to go out of our houses. After that day, I found it easier to get out. And that was how we were able to survive until the lockdown eventually phased out and everything was opened up once again. Like I said earlier, fear keeps us in check and makes certain we make no mistakes. The way we walk on solid ground is different from the way we walk on a tightrope. The fear of falling is what makes all the difference. Fear should not be abhorred, instead, it should be embraced because it is a core part of who we are as individuals. And the sooner we accept it, the sooner we can get to overcome it. Because fear can only become a problem when we let it overwhelm us or stop us from actually growing. As long as we are up for the fight and we are willing to give it all we’ve got, then we are always good to go. Thank you for reading. Feel free to share your thoughts with me in the comments section below, I would love to know what you are thinking. Till we meet in the next post. This post was inspired by the first topic for this week which is Fear. Feel free to take part. Borderimage credit: @deimage.
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