My father was a worrier. Mother used to say, “If there isn’t anything to worry about, your Dad will find something.” So, I come by my ‘worrying’ naturally… HA!
When bad things happen in life that turn your world upside down, or create a sense of vulnerability, or devastate you at the time, you become aware that negative things can happen out of the blue and unexpectedly or that the choices you made, hurt you and others. This can create fear, PTSD, excessive worrying, panic attacks, anxiety, set in your ways, fear of change, fear of making a mistake, etc.
Reality is, as humans we are vulnerable to many and a variety of things, some in our control and many not. It’s the lack of control, the need to live in the denial of our vulnerability that leads to our worrying.
Acceptance of vulnerability releases worry. Once you prepare for the worst case scenario then stop worrying and replace it with faith. But sometimes, when you think you have covered all your bases, you still get hurt and have harm. Then at other times, when you fly by the seat of your pants, everything turns out great. So actually, you can’t always be prepared … because negative, unpleasant, harmful things just happen. We are all vulnerable. To be human is to be vulnerable.
Sure, being prepared, aware and using common sense is wise. But worrying destroys happiness, fun, joy, adventure, experiences, health, spontaneity…
My Dad wanted to be in control of his life, and to protect those whom he loved. It’s a male trait. not wanting to feel vulnerable. It’s a kind of trait that has one looking for the ‘what if’s’… to try and combat them or to cut them off before they do hurt and harm. That can be a good thing…. but too much of it wears the person out , those around them and can stop living in its tracks. Worrying never stopped my Dad from living life large with many accomplishments and adventures. He just went ahead and faced his fears… but he did worry. But he also had much faith that balanced out the worry and allowed him to go forth.. He told me he had an angel on his shoulder. He would loan his angel to me when I was going through a rough time. So just that knowing, showed his faith was more powerful than his worry.
I can be a worrier. I admit it. But I also have tremendous faith that pulls me out of it. I have had many traumatic, out of the blue occurrences in my life that tested my faith and sunk me into worry, fret and depression. Some, perhaps, predictable others not. My worry and fear have caused me loss and to miss out, and this I regret. I don’t regret what and when I tried and lost because, at least, I tried. But I do regret when fear and worry stopped me in my tracks or caused me to make decisions out of fear instead of faith. But usually and most always I keep on in faith, otherwise, I would die inside with worry and that is no way to live.
While on earth, God wants us to live in faith and to have experiences, adventures, feelings, emotions… but for certain acknowledge all feelings… as warnings of fear can prevent harm, after all we are sentient beings in physical body on earth. Here to experience it all.
As humans on earth we are vulnerable… so accept it and choose faith…
The Christmas season is based on and founded in faith…