Walking Through Fear

 The Only Way Out is Through.   Robert Frost

I’ve read about incredible feats of bravery and strength in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Adrenaline kicks in, and what couldn’t be conceived of moment before is suddenly possible. Something that “only happens to other people” is thrust upon them, and they do the only thing they can - they rise to the occasion.

Can I do the same for the little, everyday acts of bravery? For the ones that are larger than my perception of my capability? My spiritual communities remind me that I must trust my Higher Power and take action. It’s like the “love and marriage” and “horse and carriage” of the old song - they go together.

Within the 12-Steps rooms, my first and biggest act of walking through my fear was to walk through the doors. The decision to do so was my reaction to the first acknowledged nudge from my Creator; taking the action was my part. I learned that the fear had only kept me from learning to be a sober human, no longer substituting spirits for Spirit, as Carl Jung wrote. That was a biggie - it became the foundation of faith that I wasn't exempt from redemption.

As I moved through the steps, I learned to trust - to trust in that ‘still, small voice’ of my Creator, to trust in the experience of others, and to trust that I had the requisite courage to take the next indicated action.

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