Fear and Love
Fear and Love. There is a philosophy that there are only two emotions and all others come from these two, fear and love. We act out of both, either out of the different fears that may hold us back, or out of the feelings of love and gratitude that may propel us forward.
Fear can sometimes look like anger, denial, frustration, self-pity, self-doubt, jealousy, conflict. It also can play out in other ways such as perfectionism, non-stop busy-ness, irrational reactions to situations, complacency, apathy. It is playing itself out everywhere, the angry person who yells at someone just doing their job because they don’t like what the message is to the tears that flow when you are frightened about the health of someone you love dearly. When in the grips of fear, we don’t always think of all the possibilities, we are focused on only fight or flight.
Love can show up as openness, service to others, self-care, compassion, empathy, and a focus on pulling together to create something better. Love brings strength forward and allows for broader views. Love heals. Love plays out in so many ways, the phone call made to help ease pain, the hug, the flowers sent, the space to listen and not judge, the space to allow someone to cry without telling them it will be okay, in just being for someone.
Right now we are seeing these both play out across the globe. Those who are responding from love and those who are responding from fear. The fear is divisive and at times hate-filled. The love is at times mocked by those who are fearful.
It reminds me of Martin Luther King Jr.’s quote, “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” I, myself, am trying to live from a place of love. I don’t want the fears and I don’t want the hate. I don’t want the burden that creates.
It is very hard to do. Be gentle with yourself as you navigate from a place of love versus fear and know that even those who have journeyed into some enlightenment, are fearful from time to time. Show yourself the love and compassion that you may be having difficulty showing to others.
Only two emotions, from which all others come. I am choosing love over fear, although today, fear is winning.