For as long as I can remember fear has been a faithful companion. That may sound dark and ominous, and even as I typed it I feel the tingle of vulnerability that comes with admitting such a thing. Now I don’t mean horror movie or walking in the woods at midnight kind of fear, but rather this hum of apprehension, this tip toeing through life as if something may be lurking around the corner….hmm…wait…now that is beginning to sound like a B rated horror movie. I am been wondering recently if maybe fear is not something to be avoided, but rather something to lean in to? In response to that question I can just picture some of you gasping and clutching your pearls. So just take a breath and hear me out. Maybe this thing that we have tried to avoid most of our lives, may in fact be an opportunity to pull back what may be hiding behind the mask. Maybe if we can lean in, when/where it is safe, we find that limiting beliefs, old stories, and projected stuff from our past experiences are the true “lurkers”. Some aspects of fear may, in fact, serve to guide us into our greatest growth experiences. I know, even as I type this my hands are burning with doubt…and yes maybe even a sprinkle of fear. Fear of what you will think…fear that I won’t be able to live up to my own words….fear…you fill in the blank. And you know what… that is ok because it is peeling back the mask and underneath I find the opportunity of transformation and evolution. It is this possibility that invites us to face our fear and listen to what it has to say. It may exactly what we need to hear.
Rev. Ryan
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