unknown

I know this feeling; it's a chilling presence. I've met it before. I'm in it's territory, and it knows it. If I give in even a hint, it will strike and drag me into the abyss, to live with the shadows until I can claw my way from it's grip.
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It's fear. Not any fear. Fear of the unknown - it's strongest form.
For being scared of something you can't know is self-perpetuating. You know there's something out there to be scared of, but you're not quite sure what it is, so you start misappropriating that fear towards things you do know.

"I'm scared of failing...but what am I going to fail at? I know I'll fail eventually...but when?"
"Maybe I'm going to lose someone close to me...but who? When? It's inevitable for everyone!"
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And on and on you go, in a downward spiral of fear towards things unknown, yet bound to happen. And you freeze. Maybe the only way to not experience those fears is to stay put. If you close your eyes, you can't see them coming.
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This is the only fear I have truly experienced.
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But sure enough, the moment you come face to face with one of those unknowns, it loses all power over you.
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I've met failure at the door, shook hands, and sent it on it's way. There's no need to fear it, for it is the bearer of wisdom. Loss is hard, but not scary. People come and go as a part of the natural course of life, and it's a beautiful thing.
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And then you realize, fear IS the unknown. That's why it holds endless power. because there will always be unknowns.

But the thing about the unknown, as scary as it might seem, is that it's a gorgeous place. The unknown is where endless possibilities live. It holds everything and nothing at the same time. So it can either be the best thing or the worst thing at any given moment. The wonderful thing is, you make the unknown. You can find the fear or you can find the opportunity. You can craft it into everything you desire, or let it drag you into nothingness. So, as any fear, the unknown is only as strong as the power you give it. The unknown isn't scary unless you let it be.