When we're afraid, we often find ourselves caught up in habitual ways of responding that fail to bring us the relief we seek. "To keep repeating a baleful pattern without recognizing that we are caught in its loop is one of life's greatest tragedies; to recognize it but feel helpless in breaking it is one of our greatest trials; to transcend the fear of uncertainty, which undergirds all such patterns of belief and behavior, is a supreme triumph." In a beautiful response to Vincent Van Gogh's 1884 letter to his brother on fear and risk-taking, novelist Nicole Krauss sheds light on how rather than being governed by our fears, we can recognize the opportunity to step outside of them and ultimately overcome them.
↧