EVERY ONE OF US KNOW THE PHYSICAL SENSATION OF FEAR. ITS GRASP ARRIVES IN OUR CHEST, ANNOUNCING THE CONTINUED POSSIBILITY THAT OUR LIFE COULD BE THREATENED AT ANY MOMENT. BUT WHY IS THIS FEELING THE MOST POTENT OF THEM ALL? WELL, IF NOTHING ELSE, AT ITS MOST BASAL LEVEL, THE PRESENCE OF OUR FEARS DOES NOT CRIPPLE US FROM LIFE, QUITE THE OPPOSITE. OUR FEELINGS OF FEAR ARE EACH FACTUAL CONFIRMATIONS THAT THE DESIRE FOR LIFE + FOR HAPPINESS LIVES ON WITHIN US.

THIS GIFT OF OURS, THE GIFT OF SELF AWARENESS THROUGH CONSCIOUSNESS IN LIFE, IT IS, LIKE ALL GIFTS, ONE OF GREAT POWER WHICH, ON THE SCALES OF JUSTICE, GIVES US GREAT CAPACITIES FOR BOTH GOOD AND EVIL. FOR MANY, THEIR GREATESST FEAR COMES FROM EITHER THEIR AWARENESS FOR THE GREAT CAPACITY FOR POTENTIAL EVIL WITHIN THEMSELVES OR, IF NOT, FROM AN EXPERIENCE OR AN AWARENESS OF THIS SAME CAPACITY BEING ACTED ON BY ANOTHER. ACROSS HISTORY, ACTS OF TRUE MALEVOLENCE ARE ABUNDANT + SO TORTUROUS AS TO LOCK MANY OF US IN A PARALYZING CONTEMPLATION OF HOW SUCH EVIL COULD EXIST IN ANY ONE HUMAN BEING.

THIS IS THE MEANING:

“WHETHER ‘TIS NOBLER IN THE MIND TO SUFFER THE SLINGS + ARROWS OF OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE, OR TO TAKE ARMS AGAINST A SEA OF TROUBLES + BY OPPOSING, END THEM.” - HAMLET

YET AGAIN, AS OUR FEARS ARE THE CONFIRMATIONS FOR OUR CONTINUED DESIRE FOR LIFE + FOR HAPPINESS, IT IS IN THIS MANNER THAT IT IS ALWAYS NOBLER TO SUFFER THE TRIALS + TRIBULATIONS OF LIFE THAN TO GIVE IN TO LIFE’S GREAT ADVERSARY + TO GIVE LIFE TO IN DOING.

THIS IS THE MEANING:

“EVEN THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I FEAR NO EVIL, FOR THOW ART WITH ME, THY ROD + THY STAFF, THEY COMFORT ME.” PSALM 13

FOR ABOVE THE DOOR TO THE SEVENTH LEVEL OF HELL IT READS – “ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE.” YET FROM THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, JESUS SPOKE, “THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS SCATTERED ALL ACROSS THIS EARTH BUT MEN DO NOT SEE IT.” IT WAS PERSEPHONE, THE DAUGHTER OF ZEUS, THAT MARRIED HADES AFTER ALL.

AS SUCH, AS YIN+YANG, THE DARKNESS IS ALWAYS JUST NEXT TO THE LIGHT. FOR IN THE ABSENCE OF THE DARK, WE WOULD HAVE NO MEANS TO UNDERSTAND THE LIGHT.

                     THE LIGHT, WHICH WHEN LIVED, IS LIFE.

                                         xoxo CPA

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