Fear Life

I have spent the last few months of my life studying the concept of "fear". Partly out of necessity and partly out of a morbid sense of glee. Let me explain.

Experience Necessitates Learning

Anyone who has "lived" on this terrestial orb called earth knows that life deals a vast array of experiences. When you venture into a new endeavor, there is a level of uncertainty, a calculated sweat factor, which tests your fiber. I will list just a few:

• A phone call stating simply "Timothy was in a car wreck."
• A lump in my lymph nodes.
• An urgent meeting called by my boss at the EOD on Friday.
• A tornado warning has it's eyes set on your house in the woods.

All of the above happened. All turned out OK. Fear came and went.

"Das FreitHaus" provides Morbid Entertainment

I was the Creative and Technical Director on a spooky fundraiser in our community. It was exhausting, time consuming, voice depleting, and a whole lot of scary fun. I had the unique role of being in the house, hidden from view, observing every person that came through. One after another they would trek into the foggy darkness and be afraid. Here's a little sample of what I heard:

• "I scared."
• "Do I have to go in there?"
• "Someone's going to jump out at me."
• "I'm not a-f-f-f-f-raid. I'll j-j-j-just keep my eyes shut."

Really. As they shuffled their feet (no one walked with big steps, but always moved their leading foot ahead as if probing...), they often moved like a catepillar (or maybe a slug is a better analogy), slowly moving past my hidden gaze.

Of course, on the offbeat, when they least expected it, I jumped out and scared the "you know what" out of them. I rather enjoyed it.

Lessons Learned

Fear is a very insidious little devil. It preys on our desire to know what's coming, to be in control. Life and entertainment both provide plenty of surprises. The unknown calamity or "BOO" around the next corner is what we get to look forward to IF we are living, breathing beings. Life and Fear. They seem to go together.

Doesn't sound very healthy to me. You?

(Watch for the next installment - "Fear God")

Dona nobis pacem.