Scary Incidents and Crazy Coincidences
Some people will stand in lines outside haunted houses. Others will wear costumes and attend parties. Halloween is tomorrow, but some of us live with fear every day.
We fear success and failure. Instead of making progress on dreams, goals, and assignments, we procrastinate.
Life is difficult. We invented AI to make things easier. And while AI can do plenty, it can’t give our lives meaning and purpose.
Fulfillment comes from divine alignment, loving relationships, and impactful work. It often arrives on the other side of our fears.
With this awareness, I scare myself multiple times a week.
Every morning that I run before sunrise, I place myself in a volatile situation. St. Maarten's roads are narrow and laced with potholes. Streetlights do not illuminate every block.
While many motorists drive cautiously, many choose to speed and swerve to their destinations. Pedestrians use the island’s sparse sidewalks, the shoulder, or trampled tracks through grass patches and sand.
St. Maarten has several outdoor tracks and gyms with treadmills. However, I prefer to run in the communities where I might encounter another runner, an animal, or both. The workouts and their locations serve as metaphors for life.
Courage is integral to progress. We must resist inertia to change conditions for ourselves, our families, and our communities. Consider any freedom movement in the story of humankind, and courageous actions played a role.
It’s important to acknowledge, accept, and respect fear. Doing so can protect and inform thoughtful decisions. We must also strive to discern between legitimate concerns and the ghost of cowardice.
Before I go further, don’t mistake this post's tone for arrogance or overconfidence.
I often encounter scary incidents that test components of my spirit, mind, and body. In addition to October’s pre-sunrise runs, I abandoned a cliff-diving experience with my son because of treacherous waves and strong winds.
Turning around probably saved our lives. The next day, we found a safer place to cliff dive and bond.
Before arriving in St. Maarten, I also feared moving abroad again. Although my wife and I had lived in Mexico and Antigua and Barbuda with our children, I kept thinking about missed opportunities in the US. The Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) resurfaced.
We had just resettled in the States. After more than a decade of entrepreneurial excursions, my wife found a steady job that she loved. My daughter had a part-time job and a growing circle of friends. The boys also had their share of academic, athletic, and social perks.
Then, the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in St. Maarten called. I had nerve-wracking concerns about uprooting my family and the multiple implications of moving abroad. Although the position in the school’s Academy of Teaching and Learning aligned with my teaching and research interests, I felt guilty about taking the job.
Once on the island, feelings of uneasiness remained. We had to start over to establish ourselves. This process involved finding housing, transportation, and enrolling the children in school.
My worries, determination, and discipline fueled daily runs and solo capoeira training sessions. The workouts, alongside prayer, reflective writing, and meditation, helped me cope with the transition to a new job and home.
Six weeks after leaving the US and on the other side of my fears, I’ve experienced crazy coincidences. I’ve reunited with my childhood babysitter, found a used car in the exact make and model we left in Antigua, and, more than once, sidestepped a car while out running! The move and my work are a good fit.
We may encounter manufactured fears at haunted houses and costume parties this weekend. Both experiences will provide temporary thrills. However, if we raise our consciousness, we can engage fear after Halloween and move closer to potential.
Perhaps courage is all we need.
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