Fear

I am so afraid of dogs now. When I'm out jogging and I see a dog, I cross to the other side of the street, and my heart starts pounding like crazy. The dog bite sort of traumatized me, I guess. It makes me think of how difficult it must be for women or girls who have been raped - they would have constant reminders and that fear would always be re-surfacing. It's a horrible feeling to be consumed by fear. Last night I was talking to a friend who has a lot of fears. He was traumatized by the war, and has been on medication ever since. He has started seeing things that he knows aren't real, but - of course - it's scary for him. I often think about that when I meet people with serious mental illnesses - what a way to live - always being afraid of everything. We're supposed to be free; not fearful.