I HOLD MY PLACARD TODAY - 'NOT AFRAID'








Pic.: Sunitha Sujir


“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.”

- Jack Canfield

One thing I am extremely aware of, in my life, is ‘Fear’. It is very much there in me… constantly making me alert, anxious and, sometimes, even paralyzed.

So, if you ask me, “Is fear bad?”, I am will say, “Yes”.

And, if you ask me “Can fear go from life?”, I , with whatever wisdom I have possessed so far, I will say, “No”.

And, here is the paradox of the reality: Fear is bad when it cripples me. But, I am aware that my life cannot be free from it. So, what is the sensible thing to do?

If fear cannot go, then, the sensible thing to do in life is to befriend it… make it a companion, an ally.

Every day, there are moments in my life when I experience a great deal of fear… For a while, I remain anxious and immobile. But, because I know that’s how it is… before I befriend it, a silence descends on my heart… and I am able to see the bright side of fear: How it helps me to remain alert, agile and alive in life… How it motivates me to give my best, bank on my inner resources… How it keeps me humble, grounded and grateful… How it makes me respect people in my life and teaches me never to take them for granted…

It is fear which has made me most vulnerable and taught me to seek help and guidance from others… If being vulnerable is what makes us love, then, fear goes with in, whether we like it or not… Only thing about it is, that we do not like to acknowledge it! 

Then, there is this thing called ‘courage’ in life. We have glorified it so much, that we wonder if we would ever be courageous in life! Life has taught us, that courage cannot be absence of fear. We have heard it from the most courageous souls: “Courage is doing the seemingly impossible things despite fear, with a quaking heart!”

So, fear is a must even to be courageous in life… Isn’t it?

When bombs go up and people and property are charred before your eyes, if fear doesn’t run through your spine, then, there is something seriously wrong with you! When, lakhs of people come out on the streets of Paris holding the placards – ‘NOT AFRAID’… what, actually, is the reality - They were not afraid?

I loved that assertion – ‘NOT AFRAID’!

Hello world, I am afraid… terrified… numb. But, I want to tell you, your bombs and terror-tricks cannot make me a zest-less soul… You can’t destroy my spirit… Yes, I am NOT AFRAID of ‘you’!

So, from where did that courage come into the sea of Parisians to come out and assert: ‘NOT AFRAID’?

Fear is a great motivator in life. It may make me anxious and numb many times; but, let me not forget, it, also, makes me give my best… become a fine, sensitive and brave human being in life!

Therefore, I hold my placard today – ‘NOT AFRAID’!


GERALD D’CUNHA

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