When I was about 7, I was terrified of horses. I did not know why, but I did not like to be around them. I was raised in the country until I was about 5 and was always around horses. When we moved to town when I was 5 or 6, I forgot I was always around horses. By 7, I realized I was afraid of them. I remember delivering my papers and there was a herd of about 6 horses coming down the country road I was on. I took my bike off the road, into the bush beside the road and I remained there frozen in time for what seemed like hours until my dad came and took me home.
I never told him what happened, and he did not probe. As I grew, I learned how to cope with my fear, and it was not until I was in my mid-twenties that I found out why I had this irrational fear. Once I realized what caused the fear, I could face it and I could overcome it. I do not spend time around horses, but I can tolerate them and have even ridden them, much to the delight of my wife, who loves horses.
Fear can paralyze you; unless you can overcome it, you will lose out on some of life’s greatest pleasures. I did not have a magic wand to overcome my fear. It took time, energy and patience and it was hard. However, I learned about myself, and who my loyal friends were. Trust yourself and face your fear to enjoy life to the fullest.
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