Our time in Anacortes is coming to an end, as we’re returning to Boulder in about a week. The past few weeks have been simply beautiful here with clear, sunny, blue skies filled with white puffy clouds and warm temperatures. I can tell that fall is on the way. Not only are the leaves on the big tree by the house already turning red, but yesterday morning I woke up in the middle of a cloud, surrounded by a swirling mist of fog.
One of my interviews yesterday was with an incredible man, Stephen Hopson, who is a deaf motivational speaker. In our conversation Stephen talked about how we need to “cut through the fog of fear to see where we want to go”. He believes that fear is the fog that clouds everything in our lives. Interestingly enough, as he was explaining this to me, I couldn’t help but notice the world outside my window.
The fog was present and was the perfect metaphor for what Stephen was talking about. Each morning for the past month I’ve gone into the office and looked out over the marina, full of shiny boats and beautiful scenery. Each morning I am so grateful for the simple beauty of this area, from the ocean and the trees to the boats and the birds.
However, this morning as Stephen was describing fear as the fog that clouds our life, all I could see was fog, fog and more fog. No boats. No birds, just fog. It was just perfect! For how many times do we know that the “boats” of our life are there, but when they are hidden behind the fog of fear, we sometimes wonder if they were ever really there in the first place. Spend enough time in the fog and we doubt the very existence of things we once believed to be real, like the boats in the marina.
In the fog of fear we lose depth perception, clarity and sometimes even direction. From that disoriented state, everything changes. We can no longer see our goal (the boats in the marina) and start to focus on what we can see- the fog and the fear. It’s easy to see how it happens to all of us.
What are the boats in your life- the things you want to see clearly and move towards, and what is your fog? Next time you’re feeling a little bit of fear, just remember it for what it is… just a little fog and nothing more. The boats are really there- I promise.
Gail:
What a beautiful narration describing the irony of my words that were spoken on the day of our interview over the phone! I had no way of knowing that while we were talking that your area was in the midst of thick fog where everything, including the boats could not be seen. Amazing coincidence but then you and I know there’s no such thing as coincidence – – the universe arranges for things on our behalf that are unbelievable.
You certainly have a way of using metaphors that fit the occasion exactly! I look forward to becoming an integral part of your community and helping others cut through the fog of fear to see that what they want has been there all along, just like those boats!
Wow! What a great post, Gail, and just what I needed to read today. I’m having trouble seeing the ships in the fog at the moment… It’s good to be reminded that they’re still out there, just momentarily kind of hard to see.
I’m going to put you in my blog roll and maybe write something about your blog too in the next few days or add it to the resource list. Thanks for telling me about it!
Elisabeth
http://www.myfavoriteselfhelpstuff.com
Dear Elizabeth,
I think one thing that makes us all human is that we all go through the same stage of fear, thinking that the boats have left without us. When in fact, they’re still in the harbor, just on the other side of the fog. We need to maintain our focus on something we can not see and sometimes, we get too caught up in the drama of the moment and forget the Divinity in the entire process. It’s easy to forget who you are when you look outside of yourself. Especially when you’re in the fog. When you take just a moment, take a deep breath and just relax into who you are at the core level, the fog will blow away and you’ll see your ship. Then you get the opportunity to jump aboard, set the sails, capture the wind and sail into the unknown, smiling as the wind plays with your hair. With the fog behind you, the world is your oyster. Enjoy!
Hugs,
Gail
Dear Stephen,
Thank you again for the great interview. When I close my eyes I can still remember the coolness of that morning when I was literally surrounded by fog, as you shared your story. Your message is touching lives, and I’m grateful for your sharing it with us.
Big hugs,
Gail
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Gail,
This is an absolutely perfect description of fear and how it paralyzes us. Thank you.
Teresa