Fear.
Fear is what tells us we are truly alive. Fear is what makes our hearts skip beats and our breath race through our lungs. But fear can also be what holds us back.
Today I received a lesson in fear.
Whizzing down some of the steepest hills in Austin at over 30 miles per hour with cars and gas-guzzling SUVs motoring by, I found myself tense, facing fear and the need to remain in control. Being safe is one thing, but I have some skating goals to accomplish, and I can't be settling for being frightened by steep downhills.
I think being fearless means resigning one's control to the world. It also might mean separating oneself from one's instincts.
Well, chalk it up as one more thing for me to work on.