Even as we enter a second decade after the 9/11 attacks, fear remains one of the most destructive legacies of terrorism. The further we get from the fire and dust of the decimated twin towers and the damaged Pentagon, the more evident it is how many ways fear amplifies the impact of the attacks.
In moderation, fear can be a good thing, warning us of dangers and inducing us to resist urges to be rash or reckless. The problem is, fear has no perspective. People who let fear control them subject themselves to the throbbing torture of continuous anxiety. They allow happy thoughts, pleasurable feelings and hopeful dreams to be strangled by a growing vine of angst. They imprision themselves with worries that prevent them from traveling, assembling in large crowds, or spending money.
Fear is useless and irrational. As Leo Buscaglia put it, “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” And most of the things we fear never come about. In a year, do you think you will even remember all the things you were so worried about today?
Glenn Turner tell us, “Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.” The roots of anxiety are deep. But like weeds, they can be removed. Perhaps the Lion King’s strategy is better. Hakuna Matata!
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.