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Sunday, September 11, 2016

Conversation With Fear

By:  Susan

My favorite question to ask these days is
“What are you afraid of?” 
If I can name my fear,
I can loosen its grip on my body. 
I can untangle its claws from around my neck
and set it down in front me. 
When I name my fear,
and set it in front me,
I can look at it in the face and ask:
Are you for real?
Show me your credentials? 
What proof do you have that you are actually legit? 
Show me. 
Count the times you’ve been right.
See, you can’t.
You are a fake,
an impostor
conjured up by my ignorance,
my prejudices,
my insecurities,
my past mistakes.
Once I make you show your hand
You begin to melt into the ground
Like the wicked witch of the East.
But you come back
Jump on my back
Sit on my chest
Echo in my ears
So I try to talk to you nicely this time:
I hear you
You’re trying to protect me
You’ve got my best interest at heart
But how about you let me breathe a little
Let me see things with my own eyes
Know things with my own mind
Just for a few days
Maybe a week,
Maybe two.
How about you just sit in this closet
And wait for me
I promise I will check on you
Maybe in a week
Maybe in two.
And if you are legit,
I’ll listen to you.