Reflections on Fear

The Gloaming

When the Gloaming comes
I’m a child again, hiding under the covers
Afraid of the dark, afraid of the unknown.
As fears gather and swirl, I can choose to participate with them
By helplessly trying to resist the surging feelings inside me;
Or, I can choose to simply observe my fears,
Watching them pass from a safe distance.
Resisting fear makes it stronger,
Acknowledging fear makes me stronger.
In these fraught moments, the choice is mine.
To observe, acknowledge, and let go of fear,
Rather than to participate with it.

Reflection by Carl Baldassarre