Two definitions from associates—'Not knowing what is going to happen or why something is happening' and 'Not living to my fullest capacity in success, love … being corrupted'
If you observe the country at the present we see 'fear-based' talk all around us.
—The economic environment … advertisements on bankruptcy, credit card debt and IRS debt … the 'bad' corporations who bankrupted us … outside elements that have led to the bailout. For all of these, the first definition of fear applies.
—As we age we 'lose' our skin, our bodies get 'sick,' our sexual performance declines. This is the second definition.
—'Acceptance of homosexuality led to hurricanes and attacks and the dissolution of family values and morality.' Here, both definitions apply.
—In our current election campaign, the new 'N' word of 'urban terrorist,' 'socialist,' and Muslim/Arab. People speak about this with abject fear in their eyes, their tone and their concerns about 'American purity.' This is stoked by members of campaigns speaking of their 'fear' of this man or that man. Again, both definitions apply here.
Fear is a reflection of our separateness; we project out what we feel and believe.
Our lives are filled with the unknown. We spend much energy trying to control the outside in order to alleviate chaos within. This can lead to psychiatric issues of obsessive compulsive behavior or paranoid beliefs. When the outer world changes, our inner world can go through a state of upheaval, if we have not been able to view change as an inevitable movement, or trust in ourselves to deal with this change.
For some, change causes rage or hatred at the people different than themselves—Black, Gay/Lesbian, Latino, Arab, White, Male, Female. People seek to make stereotypes so as to dehumanize the group they seek to blame or upon whom they project their own paranoid beliefs.
Many times it is the people who are on the lowest rungs of society economically, educationally or spiritually who lash out. Since they have not achieved their highest potential, they seek to find someone they can place lower than themselves. These people are easily manipulated by the corrupted intelligent who use them as the 'soldiers' to stave off their own 'fear' of losing authority and control.
Fear has come full circle, and unless we face it, embrace it and then release it, we will continue to allow it to victimize us. We should embrace our differences. We should do our best to live to our fullest in every minute of every day. And what ever comes to pass will always work to our 'good.'
In Fear part 2, we will examine how to recognize, address and deal with fear.
To contact Dr. Martha Hernandez—who is with Better Existence with HIV ( BEHIV ) —call 847-475-2115, ext. 102, or e-mail drhernandez@behiv.org .
