From “Julie’s Gems”: October 2003

What are you afraid of? Snakes and especially sharks give me the heebie geebies. I’m not talking about the things we’re unlikely to face like flesh-eating zombies. I’m referring to more tangible things such as fear of rejection, silence, war, fire, marriage, death, homelessness, loss of a loved one, disease, et cetera.
So how do you deal with your phobias? Do you face them head on as a knight in shining armor? Or do you find ways to escape like a fleeing convict? I think we probably tend to do both. For instance, for someone like me who is very claustrophobic, I tend to avoid elevators and dark areas rather than face that suffocating feeling. Yet next month I will be facing another fear of mine by leaving my pets in the hands of other people. That may seem like a stupid fear to you, but for me it’s going to be a tough thing to face. It would be easy for me to simply remove myself from the situation and not take the out of state training being offered to me. But what would that accomplish? I would end up missing out on a great opportunity b/c I let fear bully me.
As you see, sometimes it is better to face your fears head on as a charging ram (Sick of my comparative phrases yet?); it can lead to a wonderful experience. But use common sense, of course. Don’t go deep sea diving with a bunch of ticked off sharks just to get over your fear of Jaws (Yikes!).
I know you officers must face fear weekly, if not daily, and I admire each of you for facing that fear with unabashed bravery to keep our city safe. So, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Then again, there’s nothing wrong with being afraid. It does not make you more or less of a person, so don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. In fact, fear can be a healthy thing if it allows you to come home safely every night.
As for me, I don’t plan on climbing into a tight, dark place anytime soon just to get over my claustrophobia, but I do still plan on going to Utah in November despite the anxiety in my heart. So if the boogie man visits you this Halloween, stay calm and tell him to go away; for even if fear dwells here, it will not rein here.
“Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.” – Raymond Lindquist