Be scared. Be very scared.
As kids, our little bodies required us to constantly look up. Doing so gave us grand views of the clouds, the stars, and endless space to imagine. There was less to fear and more room to wonder and wander.
As we grew older, we needed to look down more often to watch our steps and notice the dangers around us. Everything from the news to the challenges of the day made us more aware of the ground and how hard it hurts. Glaring signs warned us of how many people fall and fail and how painful those things are.
Fear set in.
It led some to become cautious and others to become crippled. People called this growing older or becoming more mature. Sometimes, it was just growing scared.
But, it’s ok to be scared. It’s ok to be very scared. We mustn’t ignore our fears, but rather we ought to know and study them. They are the friends (or relatives) we never asked for but must learn to live with.
As we get to know them, they become less daunting, less novel, and more familiar. The more we face them, the more we learn their manners, why they exist and what makes them tick. The more we do so, the smaller they become.
As they shrink, we can begin to look up again, and see the great places they never wanted us to reach.