Fear. It reminds me of what I have to lose. There’s something so great a loss that I’m afraid. It teaches me to hide or to defend others at all costs.

Fear is an emotion so pure that it shows up in every creature with enough senses to express itself. Fear is more uniting than love, because everyone knows it. Love is harder to come by. Fear is free.

And I need it. Otherwise, I would burn my hands on stovetops, I would slice fingers instead of tomatoes or I wouldn’t cut away other dangers, like people who compromise my safety.

Fear is what I am grateful for, because after the fear hits, so can courage. It’s as if the words, “let it go”, can only exist once someone is afraid to lose. And once I know I am afraid to lose something, I honor that it matters that much.

Fear taught me love.