Fear and Fearlessness

I recently had an interesting conversation with a gentleman about fear. This man shared with me some of his thoughts on fear. He had been taught that being fearless (literally unafraid) would get him killed. He happens to work in law enforcement and has received a lot of training from many people over the years on how to stay alive and not get dead.

Every single person had taught him that being unafraid would get him killed very quickly. He took this advice to heart and decided to be afraid in going about his law enforcement work.

He shared with me a story of recently transferring a prisoner who had received a life sentence. The man was in the back of his car, and asked for one last thing before being taken to prison, Kentucky Fried Chicken. The officer, who knew that doing this could cost him his job and even get him killed, considered the request. He granted the man with a life sentence his wish. He took him to KFC and bought him a two piece meal, standing ready for when this man’s friends came into the store to kill him. He had the man hurry up and finish the chicken and get back into the car for the rest of the trip to prison.

This cop was terrified during this whole story. He was afraid of being shot. He was afraid of losing his job should what he did become known. He had been taught that his terror was what was going to keep him alive.

What if none of this was necessary? What if he could have been fearless in this circumstance? What could have been different?

Here’s what I know for sure.

If this man was fearless, he could have known what this man’s true intentions were: to set a trap to make a break for freedom, or to have food that reminded him of the joy and freedom of being a kid again).

If this man was fearless, he could have been at peace at KFC and really soaked in the wonderful compassion of what he offered this man out of the generosity of his real and true heart. He could have taken his time, sensed very clearly whether there were any threats, and allowed this man to heat his chicken and really savor the moment.

People think that their fears keep them safe. Wrong! Our fears keep us in fear and attract the very circumstances that cause us to feel fear and react out of that fear.

Robert Frost wrote, “There’s nothing I’m afraid of like scared people.” I know why he said it. It’s time for each and every one of us to release every fear we carry around to keep ourselves safe, even the fear of scared people!

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