Fear, Just A Magnifying Glass!
Could it be that the emotion of fear is like looking through a magnifying glass? The illusion makes everything look bigger than it is? Do we travel through life wearing our magnifying goggles?
Yesterday my sweet Gwen (almost 10) woke up sick. When I told her I was taking her to the doctor, she panicked! She proceeded to jump in the shower and present herself as "well" and let me know she was "all better." I didn't make her an appointment and let things go until the next day. Her sickness worsened and finally, I just made the call! I informed her she had an appointment in 2 hours. Predictably, the next two hours were filled with drama. She was following me around, demanding to discuss the details of what they would do (she knew the dreaded throat culture was coming) me running from room to room searching for peace, and Gwen "preliving" the experience again and again with a large, loud magnifying glass. She was gut moaning loudly with each mental picture of the experience. Okay get the picture?
Lo and Behold, we have the appointment. The "throat tickle" she "prelived" for hours under the magnifying glass took (drum roll please) ......... FOUR seconds. I am not kidding. Yes, I counted. The nurse exited and I looked at her and said "Do you realize that you put yourself and I (and anyone else within a 1/4 mile radius) through MISERY for TWO hours all for the fear of a FOUR second throat tickle? She smirks. I proceeded to BEAT her. Hold the phone....just kidding. That's just my inappropriate sense of humor that consistently surfaces! I then asked her which was worse, The two hours "preliving" the event or the Four second event. Smirk again, "the throat tickle"she said, but her eyes and smirk told me the truth (admitting that to your Mom is another story).
She knew. If I could only help her bottle up that moment of KNOWING and let that be the last time she faced fear. Unfortunately, fear lessons do not seem to transfer to the next event.
As adults, can we possibly use Gwen's bottled up lesson and set down our own magnifying glass? Every time we fear something, isn't the "preliving" of an anticipated dreaded event much bigger than the actual event?
Fear is but a lack of faith that we CAN handle a point in time that is in the future. Meanwhile it steals our present peace and joy. Does this happen to you? How can we bottle up Gwen's lesson for ourselves? Are you "preliving" something right now? Do you often lose the present day to a moment of time in the future that may or may not even occur the way you tell yourself it may? I do. Do you have any stories to share? Please comment below. I would love to hear from you!
