If I Knew the World Ended Tomorrow, I Would Plant an Apple Tree Today by Herakut in Berlin.
—
“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Do not become bitter or hostile. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble. We will find a way to make a way out of no way.” John Lewis 2/21/40 — 7/17/20
The fears listed below can be overcome. Not always, but with time, patience, effort, and a helping hand. Not always, but with hope, courage, resilience, and an awareness of your previous triumphs over adversity.
Here are some of the usual suspects:
A broken heart.
Failure.
Revealing ourselves to ourselves.
Opening up.
Breaking down.
Watching our parents age.
Incapacity.
Fear of abandonment.
Nakedness.
Speaking in public.
Confronting change.
Change in those to whom we are close.
Mortality.
The death of those we love.
Friends who move away.
Fear of being thought of as too sensitive.
Others who take us for granted.
Ingratitude.
The unknown.
The Great Challenge by Nicholas Lavarenne at Antibes on the French Riviera, sourced from James Lucas on Substack
What others say about us.
Not having enough money.
The weight of responsibility.
Those who expect too much.
Being forgotten.
Fear of fascism.
Being remembered for our moments of humiliation.
Those who see through the masks we wear.
Being thought of as fake.
Being alone.
Being with others.
Groups.
As children, the slowness of time.
As adults, the speed of time.
Holding the gaze of another.
Being unseen.
Silence in conversation.
Speechlessness.
Signs (like the other yawning) that you interpret as your fault.
Having others visit your home.
Believing you are a coward.
Making phone calls.
Regret, especially in old age, or when the regretful action can no longer be remedied.
Fear of losing your job.
Triple Play by Fan Ho.
Fear of staying in your job.
Fear of looking for a job.
The criticism of a parent or a boss.
Taking a public position, in speech or writing, in a politically challenging moment.
Fear for the well-being of your children and grandchildren.
Being shamed.
Commitment.
Fear of doing nothing.
Loneliness.
Fear of going to a therapist for the first time.
Fear that we don’t know what or who to believe.
You fear you are not
strong enough to do
the hardest thing
only because you don’t
yet know that doing
the hardest thing
is exactly what will help
you know your strength.
Andrea Gibson 8/13/75 — 7/14/25
If you appreciated Gibson’s poem, try watching them perform “Ode to the Public Panic Attack.”
