Every day the good people at BlogHer send an email with a "prompt" in case you need a little help figuring out what to write for NaBloPoMo. Yesterday's prompt resonated with me:
"If you could permanently get rid of one worry, what would it be?"
If a Fairy Godmother were to miraculously appear before me asking me to make three wishes, I'd pull an old Abbott and Costello type answer by saying, "I want a hundred more wishes." Just to be on the safe side.
Screenshot of Katharine Hepburn from the trailer for the 1942 film Woman of the Year (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
But back to the worry question. It resonated with me because I was reminded of something Katharine Hepburn said many times. That the greatest gift her parents ever gave to her was freedom from fear.
“I don’t think I’m an eccentric, no! I’m just something from New England that was very American and brought up by two extremely intelligent people…who gave us a kind of, I think the greatest gift that man can give anyone, and that is…sort of freedom from fear." ~Katharine Hepburn
Freedom from fear. Can you imagine that? It must be an extraordinary feeling to fear nothing. Be your own person, do you own thing, never worry what others say or think about you, blaze your own trail. How marvelous.
Right now I can't imagine it, but I can almost feel how calming and empowering it would be. Ahh..
If I didn't have any fears (and if there would be no worries about money because c'mon, this is a dream!) the world would certainly be my oyster. Off the top of my head there are a few things I'd do immediately. They may sound trivial but for one reason or another I feel trapped and unable to do them for various personal reasons:
Freedom from fear must feel so liberating. But wait! What am I saying? There's still plenty of time for me to work on freeing myself from some of my fears. Let's face it, as we age it's healthy to keep moving by keeping busy doing what we love to do. Who knows? Maybe someday you'll read about me:
Academy Award Winner for Best Screenplay and Grammy Award Winner for Best Song Cathy Chester sets new world record for oldest woman to skydive at age 99!
What would you do if you had freedom from fear?
An awfully good idea. I have been working on this very thing, myself. Not as easy as it sounds but does pay off!
In last two months I'm coming to grips how fear has marked my life and continues to limit me. I missed an important deadline due to fear. I think that was a turning point for me.
We are both on the same page:)
I am with you on the Masters, I regret not going for it too. My granddaughter thinks I should and I tell her my dream now is to help her earn hers.
Skydiving was not a good experience for me. I'm still afraid of heights:(
Thank you for sharing your fears and dreams. Write your book:)
I have lived much of my life in a place of fear and have been doing all I can to shed it. Thank you for this. Just what I needed to read.
Love your bullet point list. One of the greatest fears I live with is one that I am sure you can relate to...the fear of my body failing to meet up to the demands of the day.
I would out do Janis Joplin. Of course I would have to sing somewhat on key (People run when I do karoke.)
A life without fear...what a life that would be!
I like all the things you would try -- many of them are on my wish list, too. I agree that it must be the most freeing thing in the world to not have the kind of fear that holds you back from experiencing all that life has to offer. But I will never skydive (although all three of my children have. Yikes!). Also love the Katherine Hepburn quote. Awesome post!
Can you imagine? I would travel all over. I have a list of places I would love to go but I've never traveled alone. I would love company but when I didn't have any, I would love to be able to just pick up and go to a new place on a whim. Sounds small but for me...it would be huge.
Wouldn't that freedom be wonderful? You now have me thinking...maybe I can conquer one fear at a time.
Love the bullets! I think fear is at times a healthy thing to have, but to be able to face them is even more grate! You really gave me something to think about for sure!
Hi Cathy! Isn't it great that you still have plenty of life left in you to do every one of these things. I wasn't born into a family where I was taught freedom from fear but I've been fortunate to be married to a man who is completely encouraging of all things courageous (although he does have a hangup about locking doors 🙂 ) May be all find our way PAST our fears and live fearlessly and courageously forever more! Thanks for the reminder! ~Kathy
Oh, to be fearless would be fabulous. I *have* jumped from an airplane... and was scared as . I know I'll never be fearless so I daily try to force myself to feel the fear and do it anyway.
PS: You really oughta audition for LTYM! Feel the fear and do it anyway!!
I'd copy much of your list (perhaps leaving off the guitar or saxophone) while adding:
>Create that line of clothing I dreamed about when I was a girl
>Write the children's books that have been bouncing around in my head for 20 years
>Launch my coaching business
>take a safari or visit Thailand--anywhere I can be up close with an elephant, but not burden it with my presence.
I love this post, Cathy. It has inspired me to think about my list but, more importantly, about what's holding me back and why.
I'm with you on so many of these. For me I've decided getting rid of fear isn't going to happen. We just have to press through it. And the more we do it, the easier it gets. My favorite quote attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt, "Do one thing every day that scares you." I try to live by that-- when I remember. 🙂
One of my favorite subjects these days is this very thing. So much so I wrote a post called, Dear Fear, I am Breaking Up With You. haha. My kids are still waiting for me to jump into our pool from our 2nd floor deck. And so am I!
What I love about your list is there are realistic things for you to tackle. Write that book Cathy! You have a great story!
It is fun to dream, there are a few on there I could imagine too, like that secluded little cabin. 🙂
I can't wait to watch you skydiving at age 99. I will be the one on the ground taking photos for my elderly blog, Old Age at the Oasis. And, honestly, I don't think fear is what's holding you -- or any of us -- back from some of those things. I think some of it is more practical and involves money. Lots of it. If we were rich, I don't think any of us would hesitate about buying cottages together in the Berkshires and creating a writer's colony!
Right now my biggest fear is caring for my aging parents. I am hoping I will have the strength and grace to help them as they deserve. We're in a critical time right now, and it's all I think about. I don't know what's around the corner, and I am fearful that I won't be up to the task (which is actually an honor, but it's a big job).
What a great notion. Hmmm.....let's see, I'm with you on the apt in NYC and pied a terre in Paris. Then, skydiving would also be on my list as well as learning how to ski, climbing Mount Kiliminjaro and going for my black belt.
Oh, to truly live without fear. What a gift! I was raised to by two nervous nellies, so is it any wonder how I am?!
I love the headline you wrote about yourself. It's fun and empowering just thinking about what you'd do with no fear. And often, giving yourself permission to entertain thoughts like those are the seeds to more courageous living.
This is such an important and soul-shaking question you posed, Cathy. What would I do if I were free of fear? I yearn for such a state and have no idea how to exactly reach it. But it's sure worth striving for! I think I would travel around the world, mostly Asia and Europe. I would visit long 'lost' friends...friends who are real friends but who I haven't seen in a decade or so. I would eat. Yes, I would eat and surrender to all the calories and fats and sugars and just enjoy EVERY. SINGLE. BITE. Ahhh, the thought alone is so liberating! THANKS for this, Cathy!