Confronting the Wasp
I have always been afraid of wasps. When I was about 9 years old, I saw my little sister alone out in the distance on a big patch of lawn. She looked oddly frozen with her arm extended far away from her body and her head down facing the grass. Confused, I walked up to see to that a wasp had landed on her hand! She stood there crying, with a clenched fist, and screamed for help.
I was scared. I wanted to run. Instead, I stayed put and told her to remain calm. Apparently, my sister’s phobia of wasps matched my own. I told her that on the count of 3 I would swat the wasp off of her hand. Still crying, she agreed with strong trepidation. I began to count, “1, 2, 3!!!”. I swiftly brushed the wasp away and then we both ran like hell.
In this story, the wasp represents fear. Fear can be paralyzing or it can provide the opportunity for us to rise up into a state of courage. Being courageous in tense or even terrifying moments doesn’t mean you will have an absence of fear. It just means that you tip the scales in favor of being brave.
We can also gain more courage by finding what is meaningful. The meaningful connection and love for my little sister gave me the courage to overcome my fear of the wasp. Courage comes from the root word cor, which means heart in Latin. WHEN YOU LIVE WITH COURAGE, YOU LIVE FROM YOUR HEART.
Stay courageous my friends!
Michael Fong.