Fear and Worry

"Fear does not stop death, it stops life."
- Vi Keeland

"Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained."
-Arthur Sommers Roche

A friend of mine, T, teaches yoga and strength classes at the club where I swim and coach Masters. I taught both of her young kids to swim and worked with T on her own freestyle so that she felt confident enough to swim with Masters on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Last week I joined her virtual yoga class and got a great workout and sense of fellowship from the people on the call. T's been teaching in this virtual community since the club furloughed all of its employees. Her husband is also looking for work, and she just found out - on Saturday - that her health insurance policy would end on April 30.

So T has a number of challenges, though she is strong, capable, beautiful in both body and spirit. She shared the quote about fear in our shavasana today, and mentioned that it was a touchstone for her in these trying times.  She also passed along the quote about worry, which resonated with me, as my genetics lends itself to anxiety.

On our walk this morning William shared that he, too, had been worrying again, after a brief time when being cocooned in our house felt safe and sufficient. Classes, college prep, the resumption of swimming (maybe?) had all started jostling for pole position in his list of concerns. I am going to send him this quote from Arthur Sommers Roche - it paints a picture in which we create our own mental valleys, our own avalanches of spirit. Or, we can avoid them.

A good goal, to recognize fear but not let it steal life, to acknowledge worry but keep it to a trickle. As many parts of the country open up and we try to return to old activities with new uncertainties, these handholds (one for the left and one for the right!) might help me to stay stable - at least for an afternoon.

Stay well and safe.
xoxo,
Laura