Fear
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified, terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."
~ President Franklin D. Roosevelt First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933
When President Roosevelt dropped that little nugget of wisdom on the United States, our country was in the grips of a Great Depression unlike anything our country has ever faced. FDR was clear in his thinking that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. This statement holds true today more than ever as our nation is slowly being ripped apart at the encouragement of our nation’s leadership.
There are six base emotions that we, as humanity, feel every day in some form or another. These six emotions are happiness, sadness, disgust, anger, surprise, and fear. The way we react to a certain situation is based on these six emotions and those actions ride our emotions like a child riding piggyback on the back their parent. If you think about how a child clings to the parent for safety and comfort, so too our actions cling to the way we all respond to outside stimuli. Today, I want to talk about one of these emotions and how it is driving our country in a direction that is not in the best interest for America at all. Some of you may disagree with me but I ask you to think about what I’m going to write with an open mind.
We all have fears. Worry is born of fear and the things we worry about tell us a lot about ourselves. Common things most people worry about are financial, health, safety, and relationships. Let’s break it down further…financial worries are linked to money, employment, shelter, food, transportation, education, clothing, technology, shelter, healthcare, and anything else that involves money. Health concerns involve our mortality and for some people, this is their major worry. More and more people find themselves in a position where they can no longer afford to take proper care of themselves, will I go to prison for trying to care for my own body, or will the government restrict my health options anymore? Safety includes the ability to safely care for one’s own self and the safety of their family. Do I have a safe place to live, do I have clean water and safe food to eat? What is the condition of the world around you? Will a new war break out, are you likely to get hit by a stray bullet fired from a gun, or will your children come home from school alive? Relationships bring on a whole new set of worries too, am I safe in whom I love? Am I safe from verbal or physical abuse? Will someone love me for who I am, and will society allow that love to exist? And many people are starting to worry about their ethnic origins and whether or not they will be allowed to stay in the United States even though they are confirmed citizens.
People have a mountain of concerns and worries to deal with day in and day out. Anxiety and stress are high in our nation because we live in a world full of uncertainty. All this fear and worry are accelerated by the seemingly lack of care by our current government. Our nation’s leadership seem to thrive and enjoy creating a world full of fear and then shrug their shoulders when confronted with the derisive atmosphere they are creating. Fear is the base emotion and the byproduct is hatred, mistrust, bigotry, and racism. Fear is a lifeblood for these negative behaviors and the lifeblood in the manipulation of millions of people who see our president as a savior. My question to all those good people, who is he really saving and why? All we have to fear is fear itself…people, we need to look for hope, not despair. Our nation was built on hope as people from all over the world came to these shores to start a new life…I’m afraid that hope is gone as our current government sees fit to close our borders off to people and instill fear to the point people believe that he is the only one capable of alleviating that fear.
I ask you to read the news and become informed. I urge you to seek hope instead of hate. I beg you to follow the ethics of love thy neighbor and do onto others as you would have them do onto you. Random acts of kindness, love, compassion, tenderness, and good old fashion care for humanity should be our shield and sword against fear and loathing. Continue to fight the good fight and be known for your brave commitment to honesty and integrity as you go forward and live the light of hope, not fear. Take care of yourself, and each other…remember, we’re all in this together.
Wm Reid
Best Home Care Services
325 N Eastern Ave
Connersville, IN 47331
765-827-9833
wmreid@bhcshealth.com