One day a small boy and his father were out in the field working the ground to have a good harvest. The father was teaching the boy how to work the land properly the way his father had thought him years ago.
The boy was very eager to learn from his father and he would ask all sorts of questions but his father was always patent and calm and did his best to answer every question the boy would pose to him.
The boy became full of fear at the sight of these strange people walking in his and his fathers direction because this was something the boy had never experience before. The boys father had seen the small band of travelers coming from a distance but just kept focused on his work teaching his son how to work the land.
The boy answered his father, “father these are strange people not from our land they might try to harm us and take our land”.
The man replayed to his son, “why do you have this fear son?”
“Father I have learned from school about strange people coming into a land, to kill and take the land for themselves”.
Son, the man said to the small boy, “we do not have to fear anything in this life and if you do not have fear in your heart you are able to have pure love, and understanding of the world around you.”
The boy said,” but how is love and understanding going to protect us form the strange people?”
”Son, if these people want to harm us then they will.”
The boy said, “but we will be killed father.”
”That may be son but the fear of being killed is worse then dying. Son we all have our time of death and none of us know when that time will come, but to allow fear of death into you heart will only make you miserable and cause great unrest, and possibly even a dark heart driven by your fears.”
“So these people are not going to harm us father?”
”No my son these are just weary travelers from a far land on a journey to pay homage to their god.”
The boy was all at once put at peace by his father calm assured dimeaner and as the strangers approached the fear of being harmed was gone and the boy was now just inquisitive about the strangers and now was very happy to meet them when they finally were close enough to speak.
The young boy learned a valuable lesson that day that would serve him well the rest of his days as he grew to be a wise and great man in his country. The lesson that day from the boys father about never letting fear creep into his heart was well received because of his father’s great example, the boys father not only spoke the truth of love, and understanding but he lived a great life for his son to see.
There is nothing to fear but fear its self.
It has took me a long time and a lot of pain and misunderstanding to learn this valuable lesson. If you let the fear of anything creep into your heart you will not have room enough left to fill your heart with love, and understanding.
Keep an opened mind and fear nothing and understand everything.
Sean K Lancaster
DOC #993150
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Well written article about fear of the unknown.
The son had a wise father. Lucky boy. Good post, thanks.