"I wondered why people fear things. Then, it came to me"

To conquer fear we must choose to accept the unknowns present in life and take a leap of faith, says Aristle Tay, 18, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Singapore.

It is alright to be forever scared.

That is what I had always chosen to foolishly accept. Until a few weeks ago, when I finally figured out the reason I chose to run.

Yes, I was a coward.

Before you jump the gun, let me provide you with some clarity on my intended meaning.

I was not the kind that refuses to help others in distress, or the kind that gives up state secrets the moment he catches glimpse of a brandishing iron.

I was the kind that cannot face up to the truth. The worst kind.

On a camping trip, I found myself walking on my own in the wee hours of the morning, pondering the rationale behind why people fear things. Then, it came to me: the revelation.

During the solo walk, I realised I was actually scared of the dark and all the supernatural things that could possibly happen to me. But I chose to lie to myself and asserted that I wasn’t scared one bit. The result was some very hasty and slow proceedings in the first part of the walk.

However, by the middle, I suddenly thought of accepting that I was actually scared of the all the scary things around me. I made it clear to myself that I was actually scared.

After that, the rest of the walk was pleasant. I acknowledged that I was scared and I showed it. It made me less wary of my surroundings. And by the end of the walk, I finally realized that in life, we don’t really fear Fear. It is just that we fear the unknowns present in Fear itself.

As such, to conquer Fear we must choose to accept the unknowns present and take a leap of faith, for it has always been acceptable to have Fear as the first thought that goes through us.

But bravery should be the last emotion that goes through us. It isn’t alright to be forever scared of Fear.

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Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Commonwealth Youth Programme. Articles are published in a spirit of dialogue, respect and understanding. If you disagree, why not submit a response?

To learn more about becoming a Commonwealth Correspondent please visit: http://www.yourcommonwealth.org/submit-articles/commonwealthcorrespondents/

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