Facing Your Fears

FDR famously said, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." Like most politicians, he was dead wrong; the list of reasonable fears is never-ending. Besides the old standards like the dentist, public speaking and death, new ones pop up daily, Venezuelan drug gangs and exploding pagers among them. 

Since childhood my fears have been of spiders, driving over bridges, childbirth and getting cancer. Facing them directly worked for me with bridges and childbirth; the other two still freak me out. 

Apparently Kamala Harris has a fear of public speaking without a teleprompter, which must be why she won't attend next month's Al Smith Dinner in New York City, a political roast and fundraiser for Catholic charities started in 1945. Harris has claimed a "scheduling conflict." The dinner will be held on a Thursday night -- what's she doing, washing her hair? (Too bad since that would have been fun for everyone, especially Donald Trump who will be in attendance.)

Admittedly, facing your fears is a hard task for everyone. Yesterday my son, now in his mid-thirties, did just that by donating blood for the first time. As a child he was afraid of needles, and that fear has followed him into adulthood as strong discomfort when he gets vaccines and flu shots or has blood work done. But donating blood is a whole other thing, which he chose to do as a charitable act in response to a friend's GoFundMe request. Today he wrote about his experience; following is a brief excerpt: 

"I was afraid. I wanted to, but also, I really didn't want to -- so I didn't think much about it. I just made the appointment and went.

"I was impressed to see how many other people were there to donate. I noticed there weren't many people my age or younger; most of the blood donors were older. The guy on the bench who was next to me had to be about 100. When he was done he popped up with a smile, then sat sipping on a juice box from a straw. For a second I saw him as a 5-year-old boy and wanted to hug him. I thought, if he could do it so could I.

"When I was done and they pulled the needle out, I finally let go and cried. I was glad to have survived and embarrassed it was so hard for me, but also felt compassion for myself and I felt proud."

Facing your fears always makes you feel better -- more in control of yourself and of life in general. Now if I could just get over my fear of a Harris victory in November I might stop crying all the time.