What Is Your Greatest Fear?

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

Disappointing those who are truly important in my life. I can deal with what I call "sudden stops" faster than I can deal with disappointing those important to me.

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

[Only Special To God]

Originally Posted by path_of_one

Eep. Never heard that about gum. Yikes.

Alex- did you ever come close to drowning or choking? Just curious, as your fears seem to revolve around that theme.

In general, I'm not afraid of anything in particular. But for whatever reason, I absolutely can't stand having people hug me, tackle me, anything like that in water I can't stand up in. You know, like when you're a kid and you're in the deep end, and people hug you or dunk you for fun? Yeah, I go totally nuts and my rational brain shuts down. I start hitting the person as if my life depended on it. It is a completely instinctive action and I kind of blank out until I am free. I also hate swimming in the ocean with waves for the same reason. In So Cal when I was a kid, the waves were really strong at the beach and it was tough to get past the point between the calm deep water and the shore. I did it once or twice and determined it freaked me out and I'd avoid it. The waves were really strong with a motion of pulling you under and back out- it's easy to get tired in that kind of current- the water is deep and cold.

I have no problems with swimming otherwise; always loved swimming underwater and I find it very peaceful down there. I've done snorkeling at various locations and swam with huge sting rays in the Caymen Islands. Everything is good except strong waves and people dunking me.

No idea why, as I've never come close to drowning or anything.

Path, you were stuck in an undertow, that is when you need to float to get out of it.

Control, you have no control when they are hugging you in water or dunking you. You are not expecting it, and yes it is exactly how you act trying to survive with your life.

Thank you Path for your reply to my post.

God Bless
Ian

[Only Special To God]

Originally Posted by wil

As I've aged I've developed a fear of heights. My dad couldn't climb on a roof or drive over a big bridge. I don't want that to happen to me so I still ride roller coasters, climb ladders, and look over the edge of buildings.

It scares me, if I am at a cliff edge I'll crawl to the edge lay down and look over and it feels like the world is tilting toward the cliff. eerie feeling that is...

I'm older than my dad was when his fears got the best of him...so I keep fighting.

Good for you Wil!

The fear of heights as you get older has to do with you falling. When you age your bones are more fragile. So, you become afraid of things that you use to enjoy like climbing a ladder and such.

Thank you for replying to my post.

God Bless
Ian

[Only Special To God]

Originally Posted by Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

Disappointing those who are truly important in my life. I can deal with what I call "sudden stops" faster than I can deal with disappointing those important to me.

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

Hello Phyllis it is nice to meet you.

Yes, I do understand that one for sure. Disappointment is a toughy, and it is even harder to make it up to them. Sounds like you are doing a great job in handling it.

Thank you for replying to my post.

God Bless
Ian

[Alex P]

Originally Posted by dauer

Alex,



Yeah. I'd had to not be moving forward, at least a little. Given how little time we have, it would be terrible to me at some point to just be going nowhere.

Well fancy that, I'd of thought you would be more along the cool and easy going pace.

[dauer]

I'm okay with an easy going pace, just not stagnation.

[Tao_Equus]

Originally Posted by Only Special To God

LMAO

That was a good one Tao!

God Bless and thank you for replying to my post!

Ian

You are welcome, happy to make you laugh

tao

[Tao_Equus]

On a serious note I have tried to think about what I fear but draw a blank for myself. There are people I should, reasonably, fear but I do not. I have no phobias about choking, drowning, burning, suffocating or anything else. But I do have fears for other people and for humanity as a whole. I fear we are on the edge of the precipice as far as sustainability of resources and population explosion collide. I cannot predict how that will pan out and that scares me. I do not fear climate change for the survival of mankind, but I do fear its impact on the poorest and most vulnerable people. And I fear the spread of Islam, such ideology is in direct conflict with the values of freedom I believe in. And I fear a real crunch point between the west and Islamic world will go nuclear or biological. Bio warfare is probably my greatest fear.


tao

[path_of_one]

Tao, while I do not fear these things for myself, I share your worries about humanity as a whole. I know I'm probably an odd one in your mind, what with the visions and dreams and whatever... but I have a very, very strong feeling that I don't have long before a big change occurs here. I just hope what happens is gentler than what I've seen in dreams since I was a kid. I feel like I've lived through the "end of the world as we know it" enough. I don't want to see that kind of suffering in real life, too.

[Only Special To God]

Originally Posted by path_of_one

I used to never, ever feel any anxiety about heights or flying. I've flown a ton ever since I was a kid shuttling back and forth between mom and dad. I grew up rock climbing in Yosemite on huge granite walls.

I notice occasional anxiety now. I just shove it aside. My job depends on flying and I like heights even if they do make me feel a bit anxious. The views are incredible. So the fear just gets shoved aside.

Yep, I agree with you on that one Path, and that is exactly how I handle it too! Your job sounds cool!

I did have a severe anxiety attack on an old wooden roller coaster a couple of years back......I stay away from those permanently. I like the newer ones, smoother ride! lol

God Bless and thank you
Ian

[Tao_Equus]

Originally Posted by path_of_one

Tao, while I do not fear these things for myself, I share your worries about humanity as a whole. I know I'm probably an odd one in your mind, what with the visions and dreams and whatever... but I have a very, very strong feeling that I don't have long before a big change occurs here. I just hope what happens is gentler than what I've seen in dreams since I was a kid. I feel like I've lived through the "end of the world as we know it" enough. I don't want to see that kind of suffering in real life, too.

You odd!! I suppose being well balanced, fair minded and totally non partisan is a bit odd these days. We need a lot more odd people!!

I tend to keep it somewhere in my mind that mankind has a long long history of sensing "the end of the world is nigh". So I do try to balance my foreboding. That said it does seem inevitable that resources are going to run out and conflict with Islam is equally inevitable. I am glad I have been spared any visions of this and I also hope that it is not going to reach the catastrophic proportions that are clearly possible, even probable. Perhaps one of the reasons I can appear intolerant of JW's and fundys and, of course, Islam is that they are all preaching that Armageddon is something to look forward to. To me that is plainly sick, twisted and dangerous. That there are so many people out there potentially scheming to these ends gives me hives, makes my skin crawl. I think what really has turned me away from religion is the divisiveness that seems inherent in it. More than ever mankind has the means to pull together to face these challenges but self interest, in large part sanctioned by religions, still holds the reigns. And as things get tougher the desperate will be easier and easier game for the liars promising miracles. So in some way I feel these past few decades have been the greatest missed opportunity in history. And i think religion is patently failing to serve mankind's best interests.


tao

[greymare]

well Ian, to be perfectly honest, i dont have any fears.

I used to have a few, real honest to god scared stiff fears.

Those I have faced, some I have not and for one reason or another I am not scared any more. I share worries of my planet, my family and my friends but nothing like the fears I use to have.

I lived a long time in fear of my life on a daily basis, and now maybe, because I dont live like that anymore, im not actually afraid of anything i can put my finger on. (LOL)

Oh sure, i get jumpy and frightened if a spider jumps out at me etc, but these are only momentary.

So, no nothing is an actual fear anymore, an exciting challenge, a new possibility, perhaps.

I try to turn the sh-t in life upside down. (but thats just me..)

Every day I wake up is a beautiful day........

[Alex P]

Originally Posted by greymare

well Ian, to be perfectly honest, i dont have any fears.

Fears are like a "price" Everyone has one...

[greymare]

if you say so, alex

[Alex P]

Originally Posted by greymare

if you say so, alex

lol... In certain situations where say one of your childrens lives was at risk... Say an armed robber? You wouldn't be inflicted by fear?