A Letter to Neale

Dear Neale,

I recently let my insecurities get the better of me and let in Fear. I have realised that fear is like a computer virus; let it in, and it destroys everything you have achieved so far.

Sometimes it is very hard to "think what love would do now" when in the depths of despair, but it helps to think of Love as a virus checker, destroying the Fear virus and recovering all that you thought you had lost,

love from,

Hazel 

Neale Responds

Good for you, Hazel.

That is a huge step in a wonderful direction. It was Franklin Roosevelt who said, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." He was profoundly right. I just love this life, and I always have. Even when things were down, even when I was at my lowest, living under the open sky in a transient's park, an old one-person tent my only shelter, with little else to my name but a blackened kettle and an old Coleman stove, I could look up at the stars on my good days and say, "Thank you, God. Thank you for this life!"

Fear is a killer, there is no question about that. And it kills a lot more than people's dreams. It kills people themselves. I am so happy to hear that you have found a way to remove yourself from Fear's grip. Fear destroys romance before it even has a chance to blossom. Fear squashes ideas even before they have had a chance to emerge in form. Fear ends the adventure even before it has begun.

I love this acronym for FEAR: "Feeling Excited And Ready."

How I wish that EVERYONE could "feel excited and ready" when they are feeling fear--about ANYthing! What a world this would be! What a life we could lead! Maybe we could even take the fear out of dying.

I love you, Hazel, for working with and working through your fear. Good for you. And good for us, too. You have given all of us a good reminder today!

Hugs..