Tuesday, June 29, 2010

"Fear"

I'm not afraid of death
I'm only afraid of dying
I'm not afraid of life
I'm just afraid of trying
I'm not afraid to face God when it's all said and done
I'm only afraid that when He looks at me He won't see his son
I'm not afraid of the future
But I'm afraid of the past
For there lie my skeletons waiting to dance
I'm not afraid for my family
But I fear for myself
That I'll forget how to love them
While confined in this cell
Or that they will forget me as the years go by
That my last shred of hope will wither and die
I'm afraid of nothing
Yet I fear everything
But what I fear most
Is the fear that fear brings.

8 comments:

  1. Very moving, Daniel.
    Living with fear is worse than facing it.

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  2. hi Daniel,

    believe it or not, i know where you're coming from when you write about fear. i struggle with it at times. fear can become a prison of it's own. below is a poem that i've carried with me for ages and i often repost in my blog.



    Searching for You

    full of the fear of not knowing
    and not being known
    not even to myself
    i run from everyone
    and constantly arrive in a silence
    before You
    hunting the elusive peace
    the final resting in You

    frightened of shadows
    frightened of my fear
    which love should have cast out
    frightened of the brightness of this day
    because of its contrast
    with any succeeding darkness
    and frightened of You
    i come to you

    many feelings for you in the world around me
    war with one another in me
    and yet behind all those feelings is a certainty
    that my life is rooted in you
    with all of all its fear and joy
    restlessness and amazement
    stress and relaxation

    and on this ground
    i am learning to meet my fear
    to meet myself.

    Ulrich Schaffer

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  3. How many times I have been frozen in fear. It's a great piece Daniel. Praying for you...for the peace that only God can give...

    Joyce Marie

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  4. I can relate all too well to fear.

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  5. Fear should be a warning to consider consequences of the outcome of impending decisions, but it should not be an excuse not to make a decision.

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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  6. In a way, these are all contradictions. Yet, they make perfect sense. And I will say that I agree with quite a few lines. I'm too young to know that much about making life-changing mitakes. I've changed over the last few years. Mostly because of people. ANd books. Books have changed me too. Almost everything I know about life and people (besides my own experiences) come from books. Because even if they're fiction, or fantasy, or sci-fi, there are certain truths to them. The people.
    And so you learn a lot.
    You may learn about a certain characters weakness, fear, desire. And somehow, you find out your own weakness, your own fear, your own desires.
    I've been known for getting off topic.
    I really liked your poem. I could feel the truth in it. Let fear be a guide. It warns you of danger, it lets you know that your decision can have certain consequences.
    "Fear is your friend. When you feel it, act."
    -Wolfie

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  7. RESPONSE FROM DAN:

    Bud, Thank you for the poem...It was inspirational. I agree fear can become a prison but it is within us that freedom lies. Courage is a virtue but courage does not mean to be without fear. We all fear something. Courage is the ability to act, even in the face of fear. And act we must, for only by continuing to push forward can we ever hope to achieve.

    I'm not sure how old you are Wolfie...You said that you are too young to know much about life-changing mistakes....May I say you sound wise regardless of age but you are never too young to make mistakes and that is the biggest mistake many of us can make, thinking it won't happen to us. Fear must be faced and it must be acted upon, always for the good but never let fear rule you. I see many guys in here who fear the gangs, the thieves and many ofther dangers. They become consumed by those fears and ultimately are destroyed by them.

    Yes, I have concerns, I have fears but rather than be consumed by them, I hold my head high and face those fears. In so doing, I become more confident in my own abilities. Fear loses power and I am able to conquer.

    Direct correspondences can be sent to:

    Daniel Jackson #1182398
    Powhatan Correctional Center
    State Farm, VA 23160

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