"Fear is the father of courage and the mother of safety." (Henry H. Tweedy)

Everyone is afraid of at least one thing. Like me, I told you I’m afraid of heights. Well, afraid of falling down actually, and hurt myself. Can anyone be afraid of heights alone? Isn’t it just the idea of what all can happen to you? To fall down, get hurt, or even die?

I think that’s the deal with a lot of fears. Like being afraid of the dark. Is it the actual fear of darkness or the fear of the unknown, that you can’t see things? Just think about the things you fear. And then think if that is the actual fear.

Maybe you’re thinking about spiders right now. Lots of people are afraid of those small creatures. Why? Yeah, some can be lethal, but not in Holland (if you don’t count the ones in zoos). So you’re not afraid of the insect itself, but of what it might do to you. What can a harmless spider do? Walk on you? Make a spider web in your hair?

See, not all fears are named correctly. They forget the next step. Most fears involve dying or getting hurt, at least something unpleasant for you. That’s of course not weird, because you can’t be afraid of something you like (to do). Can you?