Old fears oppress us. They can hamper our growth; we learn nothing from them. Yet many of us continue to be afraid, for reasons we have long since forgotten, or never knew. Our bodies sometimes carry the weight of these old fears; a crying of the shoulders or a knot in the gut may be part of the legacy.

Our growth as free beings may depend on shedding these old fears. They are as real as viruses, and they make us ill in similar ways. We need to examine our actions, to be sure that we aren't just ducking our heads every time we fly under a bridge. Am I behaving approximately? Am I meeting this situation in this moment, or am I letting the past govern me? Am I acting or reacting?

When we discard old fear, we have a sense of liberation. Whatever wound that old fear was protecting can heal. We are ready to face life as it comes, not as we fear it might come.