Day 42...thinking about training

Mar 2

I talked to my mom on the phone for a long time today. Learned some things I didn't know, got even more excited to come visit.

Later I was thinking about fear. I want to teach my kids to not be afraid of things. I mean, it's reasonable to be afraid some times. In the long run though, people spend so much of their lives just living in fear, and worrying about the dumbest things.

I for example, am afraid of spiders. However, I don't dwell on that day in and day out. Generally, if a spider is outside, I'm ok with it...as long as it isn't on me. Now if I see one in the house, it's gotta go. I don't want there to be any possibility that it's going to bite me in the middle of the night.

To me, that seems like a perfectly rational fear. As an adult, it's more that I just don't like them....we have an agreement...They stay outside, and I leave them alone. Inside the house, they are fair game.

But I'm talking about just being afraid in general, because of uncertainty, or anything else. Worrying about things that are completely out of your control, even if they are things that directly effect your life. How does one go about teaching their children that? I suppose just by example. Sometimes we feel afraid, and have to make the choice to not be. I guess that's what I want to teach Martyn...choose to not be afraid of things, especially that are already out of your control.