Of Winding Staircases and Dizzying Heights

I've never been afraid of heights but have had my share of occasional episodes of vertigo. This time was no different from the rest. Loss of balance and nausea were quick to move into my personal space. I looked down from where I was and held on to the railings for my dear life. I knew that I wanted to get down there but a miscalculated step and a slip there can lead to an obvious disaster. And obviously not my means of choice. I could see everything before me and yet there was hesitation to take the long way down. In my mind, I was thinking that the long and winding staircases would've just aggravated my dizzy spells. And so I stayed put and allowed myself to be stagnant for a while. But not for too long as I knew that I had to make a move to actually make something of my day.

A wise man said that the fear of suffering is always worse than the suffering itself. The world can be overwhelming at times and whilst there are endless opportunities for our taking, I tend to think that each chance at a good thing comes with the temptation to let our fears in. How many times have you wanted something but hesitated because you were scared? Scared to fail, scared to get hurt, scared to lose control... But what does it matter if you fail? Or get hurt? Or lose control? There will always be opportunities to rise above the ashes. And you will be a stronger and better person when you do.

Dealing with fear can be tricky in that we either hold on too tight or frantically let go and hit the panic button. Neither is ideal for any situation. Your analogy with the brake pedal will forever remain with me now. Pressing the brakes will keep you safe but it won't take you anywhere. On the other hand, letting go and hitting it too hard when push comes to shove can result in a crash. But hey, there is point of balance that is achievable. And cruising along smoothly is possible. Fear doesn't always have to be the enemy. Acknowledging fears make it easier to rectify them. It also keeps us grounded and pushes us to cope the best way we know how. Life isn't always easy but it helps to be aware of the things that hinder us from stepping forward.

You can detach yourself and observe what's going on before you for ages. But you can only look at the big picture for so long. You can let your fears consume you but why not let it humble you instead? Wouldn't it be wonderful to actually be part of that big picture? The world is at your feet. Believe it and make it yours.