My dad taught me a helpful way to use my body and will to overcome the paralysis of fear. He would take me with him on his occasional preaching forays to the Rescue Mission. It was situated where you might expect: in a very scary, Skid Row part of town. The nearest parking place was usually a couple of blocks away, and the walk to the Mission meant passing lots of loitering, homeless, ragged men on a dark street. Dad would say: “Roger, we are going to walk together, swing our arms and look like we are going somewhere. No one will bother us, and we won’t have any trouble.” Whether his method actually affected any of those men, I’ll never know. It did, however, fix an indelible picture in my mind about facing my fears: go straight in. Go with purpose. Go with someone else at your side, and don’t get distracted. This method doesn’t trick or ignore my emotions; it supersedes them to accomplish something greater. Swing your arms and walk in a straight line. Your fears will recede on the sidewalk as you arrive at the purpose for your day.
Roger
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