4-29-02, Lisa Laird
Lisa's Lair
By Lisa Laird
IPS Features
DON’T FEAR COURAGE
In my continuous quest to conquer the real game of Life,
I’ve yet to figure out the best strategy for winning.
Board games are easy; they come with instructions and most players follow
all the rules, concentrate, and do their best as masters of their own minds.
The cheaters don’t play fairly; they spend time swindling the others
with their tricky maneuvers. Contrary
to childish proverbs, they often do succeed.
Those who win fairly behold the sense of unforeseen triumph, the belief
that all good things are indeed possible. The
cheaters merely put their wins on the crooked shelf to reside with the other
tainted transparent trophies. Meanwhile,
the losers of the game want desperately to win the next round.
The stronger the drive is to win, the harder they will attempt to
triumph. The question we must all
ask ourselves is this: Is it the
fear of losing, rather than the glory of earned success, that can push us into
duping the others when faced with the ultimate decision regarding how to play
the game?
Fear versus courage.
If we’re honest with ourselves, we know which one commands each of us
in every day life. Most people
possess a little of each, but one does prevail.
I have recently asked myself the following question, and urge you to ask
yourselves the same: Is my life the
way it is because I am a victim of fear, or, as a reward of determined courage?
And be honest with yourselves.
I am an avid believer in consistency, persistency, and
fulfillment of goals. As my past
decisions have affected where I am today, my present decisions will surely
influence my future. I have
envisioned my place in this world five, ten, and even twenty years from now, and
know where I’d like to be. Some
may say I am wishing my life away and it is wiser to live day by day, enjoying
the here and now. They’re
misguided about my philosophy. Each
day is a precious gift and I try to live each one to the fullest.
However, I’ve got to picture the “Land of Oz” in order to persevere
with my journey. Just as
“Dorothy” relied on the powers of the mind, heart, and courage to see her
through, so must I.
I don’t know how many choices in my life have been
arrived at due to fear rather than courage; I’m sure quite a few.
I do know that my greatest regrets were results of acting out of fear.
Whether driven by the fear of disappointing others, the fear of what
others may have thought, or the fear of perceived failure, they’ve all been
detrimental to the acquisition of happiness.
At this stage in my life, whenever major decisions arise, I owe it to
myself to admit my underlying motives for the choices I make.
Over the years, I’ve spoken with male and female
friends about the concept of living life. Many
of them have shyly admitted that they’ve surrendered to emptiness and blighted
hope which they accept as “that’s the way life goes.” They don’t dare change their unhappy lives, as fear of the
unknown freezes them like helpless ice cubes stuck in a tray.
As a society, we love books and movies where ordinary
people stand up and take action. I,
myself, can’t get enough of these brave souls who rise above themselves and do
what must be done to prevail. The
notion of escaping our simplistic selves and becoming the champions we dare
dream to be energizes us for the allotted time frame. We admire and envy those who have captured the lives they had
hoped and strived for.
Sadly, most of us allow the chains of fear to stifle our
ability to be courageous and live the lives we’ve daydreamed about.
Our minds are hindered from actually devising plans to make our personal
heavens possible.
If I play my game of Life
with stubborn courage, even when fear uses its intimidation, I automatically
win. If I play the game with fear
as my guide, I can only lose. And
in the end, when I reflect upon the way I’ve lived my life, played the game, I
hope to proudly credit mostly myself for going the distance and creating my
happiness. Should I have fallen
short of the finish line, though somewhat bitter, I will have no regrets knowing
I genuinely tried my best to conquer the game.
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