Fear
One of the most basic instincts. One we can't control, or understand. Some people say we fear the unknown, I agree. Fear is simply a sensation from the adrenaline rushing through one's blood. Biologically speaking fear is just a stimulus to produce adrenaline which itself makes us faster, increases our reflex, makes us stronger and braver. This is mainly for our survival, I guess most, if not all, animals have the same mechanism, they even say to kill chicken fast and painless, so they won't produce adrenaline which tensions all the muscles.
So, when someone asks you what fear is, you can say it is the production of adrenaline in your body to make you more powerful. But like everything in life, you can tell it like it is, or you can embellish it. I'd like to try the second.
So I've been thinking, (about two weeks ago), fear could be compared to a door. We say that in life we walk through lots of paths. So it would be only logic to say that we don't trail one certain path because there is a locked door in the way.
You fear losing someone you like, so you get afraid of going forward. This in life is usually unavoidable, so eventually life will push you forward through that door.
You fear dying, so take one doors that seem to avoid your death, even though the other doors may lead to a perfect future and life.
You fear an animal, so you take doors that don't make you meet such beast.
What causes a door to be locked? Is it such unconditional fear, that no logic can understand? I'd say it is. Some of our fears go unexplained, we don't, or can't, reason with them. Like fear of heights, speed, people, flying on a plane or even the fear to speak in public, this like I've heard is number one reason of fear in the U.S., while Death is second.
We fell our lives threatened, so we are afraid. It is the same fear that keeps me from going on big roller coasters. I have no reason to fear such a fun ride, many people a day go on it and nothing happens, even so I'm held back by a force beyond my power, a lock. The same goes everyday with people who are afraid of flying.
In many cases people pull up some courage to unlock those doors. So the metaphor goes on comparing courage as a key.
As we walk through life we find many doors in our way. Some we would like to cross, but don't have the key, some we don't want to cross even when we have the key.
But many people try to make the best to open some doors. Usually there is a reason to get to the other side. A love, a friend, a job or just family.
We do not have all the keys, sometimes the key to that door may be with the people you know, or even with people you never met. If you wish to get to the other side, muster all the power you can and see if you have the key, if you don't, don't be afraid of asking people you know for help to get on the other side, they may just have the words that hold the key.
There are many things other than fear that may be locking a door. But the same as with fear, someone has to have that key, so go on search for it.
We let our fears hold out part of our lives, we take trails we'd rather not, we hurt people, we hurt ourselves, we become unhappy because we can't face our fears. Maybe it is something unknown, maybe you won't like it, but we eventually change, that is absolute. One day you may cross one door and end up liking something you've been afraid your whole life, so why wait? If you have no better path to chose, if there is nothing more important in your life to do now, face the uncharted. Go on to places you've never seen, even if it is only inside yourself. Never hold back on what could be better because of your fears. Don't avoid doors because of it, that way your feelings may turn to hate, pain, jealousy, envy, grudge and even worse.
Whenever possible find a new key and open those doors. Like the Sunscreen song tells: "Do one thing everyday that scares you!"
I'm not saying to open doors that seem stupid to open, only to find the key that is well hidden inside of you. You may need it in the future.
And if ever possible, find a master key. The one that will open all your doors when needed, or all doors locked by fear. I have mine, do you have yours?