The bear is everywhere

Comedian Lewis Black once told a joke about our awareness (or lack, sometimes) of things around us. I think he was actually referring to a Britney Spears Pepsi commercial that aired a few years back.  He had been unaware of the commercial until someone mentioned it to him, after which he saw it incessantly. To paraphrase, he uses an analogy--something like "So you're talking to your neighbor, who says, 'There's a bear in the neighborhood, sh*tt$ng everywhere.' And you say (skeptically) 'I've never seen a bear around here.' And then the bear starts following you around."

Well, the bear has been following me.

Over the past few months, probably since January, I have had this bear in my periphery.  He holds up signs, makes my friends post messages on Facebook, writes books for me to read, slaps bumper stickers on cars that pass me by on the road, peers in my window, and tells my pastor what to preach about in church. 

Maybe that's a little paranoid.

But it doesn't seem merely coincidental that one subject--and at the core of that subject, one word--has permeated almost every substantial bit of non-work-related discourse I have been engaged in or noticed over the past few months.

For example, one of my high school friends who has long been a successful, confident, happy artist and writer has been posting very frankly and frequently about this one topic.  It is a topic that makes me incredibly nervous, one that I've even fought with my husband about early on in our relationship.  It's a subject that most people struggle with in their life--maybe even for all of their lives.  I am pretty sure that the bear actually kidnapped my friend and forced him to post this content on Facebook and his website.

And yes, I keep seeing bumper stickers about this subject, internet memes, and articles.  And yes, my pastor really has talked about it in more than one sermon.  And no, the answer is not love, kindness or forgiveness. And it came up in the most interesting way in a book I am reading. That damn relentless bear planted the message everywhere.

The subject is fear. Or, rather, overcoming fear to achieve your ideal life.

So, given that I have not posted in awhile--and fear being a factor in my absence, along with some other issues--I will begin my series on fear.  I'll try to make it fun; part book review, part personal anecdote, part sharing other writer's thoughts, and the like.