Many things induce dread.
Mondays. Maybe Tuesdays. The occasional Wednesday. Root canals. Income tax audits. Failure. Embarrassment. that look from people that seems to declare, Yup, you really are incompetent. Large invoices. Early morning phone-calls. Everything my teens do. The bathroom scale. Spruce bugs. Turkeys. Dropping a television. Clothes shopping. Being boring. Unexpected mass home appliance breakdown.
I cringe thinking about these dreadful things despite having already experienced all of them and much worse. Even though I’ve been there, done that, I still dread. Heck, sometimes I even dread dread.
Why am such an anxious person? And exactly what function does this emotion serve? Why are many human beings saddled with feelings of trepidation, dismay, and fear?
Fear can be healthy, right? We need it to survive. Fear keeps us from merrily skipping across a freeway or trying to hug bees. None of us should hop in the elevator with the man who gives us “the creeps.” If we heed our instincts, fear prevents recklessness.
But fear hinders us more than helps us, doesn’t it?
Is recorded history ripe with men and women paralyzed by fear?
No.
We must push through dread. Even on Monday mornings. Day by day. After all, what is there to worry about? In just two days tomorrow will be yesterday.
We must push through dread. Even on Monday mornings. Day by day. After all, what is there to worry about? In just two days tomorrow will be yesterday.
14 comments:
I think dread and anxiety serve a purpose when you have some control over what is going to happen. The issue with our evolution, is that we often dread things that cannot be stopped or even planned for.
Ooooo, Occasional Wednesdays always give me chills.
Don't hug any bees on your way to the parking lot.
This post describes exactly how I feel every day from about 4 days after pay day until midnight before the next pay day.
@paulsifer42 Yeah. Control is a big part of it.
@Nicole Well said. I can relate to the pay day anxiety.
I believe the secret to resolving this, indeed the secret to most things, is balance.
I FEAR NOTHING!
that's not entirely true. There is the whole feather thing, and spiders.
I dread my husbands imminent, inevitable decline in health, and his early passing.
I fear something happening to my son.
I dread my parents death.
I dread death itself.
I fear the IVF not working.
woo! I'm getting way to D&M.
Im trying to picture myself hugging a bee...
No.
That little sucker comes in for an arm grapple, I'm squishing the shit out of it!
It's funny that life works that way. The same things that are set up within us to help us can also be our greatest weakness or downfall. I guess the test is finding the balance.
PS: There's a blog award here with your name on it. Come on over & snag it.
Into the fray! As soon as I finish this cup of coffee.
By the way, thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting. Oddly enough, I actually do have American Psycho on my shelves, but I'm making sure to keep that bastard shoved between two large hardbacks.
I think fear and dread are different feelings...like when I feel fear it's always fear of something specific. Dread seems vague and diffuse, more a general unease (you allude to this by listing all the different things you dread).
Fear definately helps us to survive; dread maybe has a different purpose. I think it reminds us that we're individuals, that life is precarious and not assured (in a general way), that we have to keep moving regardless of this ambiguity (as you say!). But that doesn't get rid of dread. It just reminds us who we are and where we're stationed.
I don't think I dread much. Maybe because I'm too self centered to think something bad will happen to me.
@LoC I think you've mentioned this before. I am trying to make it sink in. Thank you.
@Alittlesprite Yes. Squish away. And you help give me perspective on my silly dreads.
@VinnyC It's about the yin and yang, isn't it?
@TheHolmes Thank you for visiting. And be careful near your bookshelf.
@Tim You made me think about this more. Thank you.
@Mrs.Tuna I like your wit.
Watching the course of the mind throughout the day it seems to be like Fear, Fear, Dread, Mild Anxiety, Fear, Numbness, Dread Fear, Relief, Happiness, Dread and so on. Scary how much you captured it.
I have been fighting with anxiety and talking myself out of good things for my entire life.
@Eric Even though it feels like it sometimes, we are not alone.
@Chelle See above comment. And ditto.
Um. Hey. Hi. Am I late? I love this post because this post? Is my life. I'm afraid of things that haven't happened and afraid that things that have happened might happen again. I don't know why that is. Is there a cure? I'm afraid you won't read my comment. OK not really, because it all goes to email and all and I know you'll see it (see how I talk my way through these things? Impressive, right?) sigh.
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