Fear

This lovely poem reminds us that fear is par for the course.

As one sagacious man once said: ‘The world is a narrow bridge, the main thing is not to be afraid.’

A man stood before the great journey of self.
He stood in the doorway of his own being.
Every time he was sure of a decision to change, his fears were like a world ocean,
which would not allow him to take the first step and cross.
Finally he asked, ‘How does one begin?’ ‘How does one let go?’

A cool breeze blew down from the breath of the fields around him.
He closed his eyes and gently bowed his head.
When he looked up , there before him appeared a woman, clothed
in the emerald gowns of the field and speaking with the gentle voice of Eden.
She looked into the valleys his heart and said…

Before each transition is a bridge
   Before each journey is a step
   Before each change there is the will
   Before each love there is the rising heart

The woman took his hand and continued…

Let us return from sickness unto health
   Let us return from sorrow unto joy
   Let us return to the path and become holy
   Let us return from the self and become one

There are many bridges and many paths, but…

The first step begins with you
   The first step begins with hope
   The first step begins with the change
   The first step is the one that is hardest and matters the most

And then, for the first time he looked into his own heart
and felt his own rising sprit
and merging into a union with the Great Divine.
He reached out to touch the face of the woman,
but she disappeared into the breath of the wind
and into her place a Golden Bridge appeared before the waters around him

and letting go of fear within himself he took the first step.