When I was four years old, my older brother convinced me that balloons were candy.
I bit into a black ballon, and was traumatized, afraid of balloons for years. Then one day at a friend’s birthday party, I saw someone making ballon animals, and asked him to teach me how. Fear of balloons: conquered.
When I was twelve years old, I almost drowned in a backyard pool. I was afraid of water for years. In my early twenties, I went on vacation in the Bahamas, and went scuba diving with sting rays. Fear of water: conquered.
After my back surgery six years ago, one of my worst fears was realized: I went through a brief (but seemingly eternal) period of impotence. I put myself in a situation where I had to…rise to the occasion. Fear of impotence: conquered.
There are different ways to respond to fear; each an opportunity to demonstrate courage and overcome your obstacles.
We see the chaos happening around the world, and it’s impossible not to be afraid. There are different ways however, to respond to your fear. Every fear is an opportunity to demonstrate courage; to hone your personal bravery and overcome your obstacles.
Don’t give in to fear. Spend some time with a black person in real life. Acknowledge the struggle today’s immigrants face is not unlike what your grandparents did to make a home in this country. Make your Grindr profile public. Admit, embrace, and conquer your fears.
This is what the founding fathers meant when they called America “home of the brave.”
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