Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

What do you fear?

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
October 9, 2019
6 replies
5527 views

The word ‘phobia’ is from the Greek ‘phobos,’ meaning ‘fear.’ When talking about phobias, there should be a prefix attached to the beginning of the word, for example: arachnophobia, which is the fear of spiders; this prefix should also be in Greek, although as time has passed others have appeared, such as those in Latin and other languages.

Have you ever stopped to wonder why you fear what you do? Some people are scared of leaving their houses (agoraphobia), some are scared of spiders (arachnophobia), and some people are scared of germs (germophobia). But why do people fear these things? What about bigger fears? Like fear of failure, fear of humiliation, fear of rejection, fear of making a mistake? What do you fear? But more importantly, why do you fear it?

I have feared that I have forgotten to lock the house dor when we leave to someplace for decades!

So what is your biggest fear?

Yes! Everyone is afraid of something. We fear things because we value them. ... Don't wish you didn't fear anything. All that would mean is that you didn't feel anything.”

This topic has been closed for replies.

WebWiseWoman

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Hello, Dave,

I think your post is meant to be light-hearted, perhaps, but for me "fear" is very real. If it were not the 2nd anniversary of when I might have lost my 2 youngest daughters and their step-sister, I might not have replied, but the fear and dread I feel daily is heightened this month...

I fear losing one of my children or grandchildren (and soon great-grandchildren) to gun violence; not due to their neighborhood, their ethnicity, or lifestyle.

Every time I wake I have to check for texts, calls or broadcast news of someone using an automatic weapon in my country, the United States of America, against other citizens with the intent to cause harm and death for reasons only they know.

On 1-October-2017 someone decided he was more important than my daughters and 20,000 other human beings, aimed his automatic weapons at them and murdered 58, wounded uncountable others and scared the hearts and souls of anyone related to this forever...

During the early morning hours of the next morning, I stood on my porch listening to First Responders throughout our valley, awaiting updates from son-in-law as ex drove to rescue the girls. Nothing in my life has ever paralyzed me to the point of wanting to die at that moment; nothing, aside from the Oceanside earthquake in the 90s, has dropped me to my knees on learning the girls were safe.

At that moment, I knew for me there would never be peace again; there would never be a higher entity, there would never be safety for anyone...

I apologize for the ugliness some may think my reply has but it is my reality, my daily life, my sadness, my hope...

...that eventually someone who can make it different does make it different. I don't want to, but often think of my eldest granddaughter at my age, going through this same experience; I so don't want that for her but based on our recent history...

#VegasStrong

B

Butterfly565

Contributor ⭐⭐⭐

@WebWiseWoman wrote:
Hello, Dave,

I think your post is meant to be light-hearted, perhaps, but for me "fear" is very real. If it were not the 2nd anniversary of when I might have lost my 2 youngest daughters and their step-sister, I might not have replied, but the fear and dread I feel daily is heightened this month...

I fear losing one of my children or grandchildren (and soon great-grandchildren) to gun violence; not due to their neighborhood, their ethnicity, or lifestyle.

Every time I wake I have to check for texts, calls or broadcast news of someone using an automatic weapon in my country, the United States of America, against other citizens with the intent to cause harm and death for reasons only they know.

On 1-October-2017 someone decided he was more important than my daughters and 20,000 other human beings, aimed his automatic weapons at them and murdered 58, wounded uncountable others and scared the hearts and souls of anyone related to this forever...

During the early morning hours of the next morning, I stood on my porch listening to First Responders throughout our valley, awaiting updates from son-in-law as ex drove to rescue the girls. Nothing in my life has ever paralyzed me to the point of wanting to die at that moment; nothing, aside from the Oceanside earthquake in the 90s, has dropped me to my knees on learning the girls were safe.

At that moment, I knew for me there would never be peace again; there would never be a higher entity, there would never be safety for anyone...

I apologize for the ugliness some may think my reply has but it is my reality, my daily life, my sadness, my hope...

...that eventually someone who can make it different does make it different. I don't want to, but often think of my eldest granddaughter at my age, going through this same experience; I so don't want that for her but based on our recent history...

#VegasStrong

@WebWiseWoman First, you will have my deepest empathy!!! Your loss is so great and understandable for any and all fear you may have. I am with you on this fear. I have not experienced this horrific event in my personal life but I do continually fear gun violence...fear for the innocence....fear for the vulnerable...fear for the young and niave'. Thank you so much for sharing your story to help us all understand the lasting affects.

DaveMcKAuthor

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

@WebWiseWoman I came across the graphic I posted and thought it would be a good topic for the Front Porch. In my younger years I did drive back to our home or my folks cottage to be sure I had locked everything up. It has been a life long Phobia for me. My wife has been very patient with me over the years and now she always double checks the doors and will tell it was ok.

I have heard that some people have stopped going to the theaters.

I understand that your fears are very real. I hope that talking about it gives you some level of relief. Also I hope you add more comments here on our various topics on the Front Porch.

I hope we get more posts on this topic.

Have a great day.

Posted by Dave the Lighthouse Keeper

WebWiseWoman

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Dave and Mrs, thank you so much for reading and responding to my responding post.

It's been so hard because with all the other attacks that have taken place, and our own state's dismal responses, I truly want this to go away.

But it won't...

I personally feel there is NO REASON FOR AUTOMATIC WEAPONS TO BE OWNED BY PRIVATE CITIZENS.

Others, including in this AARP Community, justify as hunting weapon. I don't understand that but if hunting a deer with an AK or AR is responsible hunting, honestly leaves enough edible product, then the protests over cattle farming/processing must be wrong.

I'm just still wondering how we continue to allow anyone to kill other Americans with these weapons and think that''s okay...

Thanks, again, Dave and Mrs!

#VegasStrong

LydiaN586309

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Okay @DaveMcK and @WebWiseWoman, I'll dive in.

My big fear is ......flying! In all of my many, many, many years, I have never flown. I have always figured if I couldn't "drive" there, it wasn't a place I cared to go. Smile. So although I used to love going out to the airport just to watch planes take off and land, I don't think I will ever actually get on a plane and go anywhere unless...............

there's an earthquake or an erupting volcano or an approaching tsunami that I couldn't possibly out run or out drive. Then and only then do I think I "might" give flying a try. And even then, I would need either a tranquilizer or a very l-o-n-g Long Island Iced Tea.

Sign up

Login with SSO

Login to the community

Login with SSO