Fear
Fear is natural - healthy even, at the right times. It's part of our animal instincts of self-preservation.
Sometimes though, fear gets the better of us. When that happens, we can fixate on it so strongly that it stops us from actually living, or loving, in the first place. Fear can protect us from harm, but it can also harm our spirits and deny us much happiness in life. It's a double-edged sword if ever there was one.
My kids have a cat named Fionan. He's a beautiful, healthy white cat, about 4 years old and in the prime of his life. We live out in the country, just on the outskirts of town. There's a huge field behind our house with a stream, lizards, moles, other cats, etc. - kitty heaven. Fionan's been neutered, but he still has an occasional peeing problem and so his access inside the house is controlled somewhat.
Sadly, Fionan is afraid of his own shadow. We're the only family he's ever really had, and we love him to pieces, but he hides from us every chance he gets. He'll dance around our legs, but try to pet him or give him kitty love and he slinks away. If he's outside, he howls and cries at the back door, begging to be let in - yet if we try to let him inside, he just runs away again. He seems like he wants to actually be a normal cat, and yet we can call to him, put out food - you name it - but he won't usually do anything most of the time. If we back away from the door so he can cautiously sniff his way around, occasionally - every now and then - he'll get brave enough to actually step inside his own house.
But that's about it. Otherwise, Fionan never, ever leaves the yard. He never explores that field. Instead, Fionan just hides underneath the deck, in the darkness. A darkness of his own choosing.
I wonder how much happier and richer that cat's life would be, if only he'd be brave enough to actually live it. If he would just face his fears, instead of letting them control him, and his life. I know that fear can be a useful tool, but it can also be one's most mortal enemy. Because fear kills the spirit.
Of course, Fionan's just a cat - cats aren't (as!) intelligent as we humans are. And for all his issues, we still love that cat. He sure can be a doofus though.
~ ~ ~
Song of the day: "Heaven" (Little by Little)", by Theory of a Deadman. I've had it as my main Profile song for the past week or two - I can't seem to get the lyrics out of my head lately, and I love the melody and harmonizing.
So life is good, no matter how you slice it sometimes.
Sometimes though, fear gets the better of us. When that happens, we can fixate on it so strongly that it stops us from actually living, or loving, in the first place. Fear can protect us from harm, but it can also harm our spirits and deny us much happiness in life. It's a double-edged sword if ever there was one.
My kids have a cat named Fionan. He's a beautiful, healthy white cat, about 4 years old and in the prime of his life. We live out in the country, just on the outskirts of town. There's a huge field behind our house with a stream, lizards, moles, other cats, etc. - kitty heaven. Fionan's been neutered, but he still has an occasional peeing problem and so his access inside the house is controlled somewhat.
Sadly, Fionan is afraid of his own shadow. We're the only family he's ever really had, and we love him to pieces, but he hides from us every chance he gets. He'll dance around our legs, but try to pet him or give him kitty love and he slinks away. If he's outside, he howls and cries at the back door, begging to be let in - yet if we try to let him inside, he just runs away again. He seems like he wants to actually be a normal cat, and yet we can call to him, put out food - you name it - but he won't usually do anything most of the time. If we back away from the door so he can cautiously sniff his way around, occasionally - every now and then - he'll get brave enough to actually step inside his own house.
But that's about it. Otherwise, Fionan never, ever leaves the yard. He never explores that field. Instead, Fionan just hides underneath the deck, in the darkness. A darkness of his own choosing.
I wonder how much happier and richer that cat's life would be, if only he'd be brave enough to actually live it. If he would just face his fears, instead of letting them control him, and his life. I know that fear can be a useful tool, but it can also be one's most mortal enemy. Because fear kills the spirit.
Of course, Fionan's just a cat - cats aren't (as!) intelligent as we humans are. And for all his issues, we still love that cat. He sure can be a doofus though.
~ ~ ~
Song of the day: "Heaven" (Little by Little)", by Theory of a Deadman. I've had it as my main Profile song for the past week or two - I can't seem to get the lyrics out of my head lately, and I love the melody and harmonizing.
So life is good, no matter how you slice it sometimes.