How Fear Steals Us

I thought about that yellow coward

Grappling with its jaws.

It howls and yells

Threatens and curses,

Before shoving us deep under a mat where we lie dormant:

Away from life, 

Away from beauty, 

Away from potential, 

Away from radical existence.

We lie there in depression

Waiting for that panther to move. 

Staring at its gory power, but trapped angry inside.

Menacing, roaring, deceitful,

That coward will have you in the depths of nonexistence.

But, oh if you only knew my friend,

Fear has a chain.

That old cat is stuck tight to that floor with a bark worth far more than any bite.

So push your face at it and yell back.

Crawl out from under that rug into whole beauty,

And dare to live.

Say yes to the call that quivers inside your soul, waiting to be born.

Push past the accusations, false flattery, and gossip to new heights of achievement.

That old cat will scream at you, but leave it sobbing in its den.

Walk out the door and don't look back.

Let it howl and let it screech.

It never needed your sympathy or service anyway. 

You were born for more. You were born for such a time as this.

You'll find faith is true

On the other side of courage.

David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” 1 Samuel 17:32