Let Go of the Fear of the Unknown . . .

In today's item to let go, Shannon Kaiser urges us to "let go of the fear of the unknown; take one small step and watch the path reveal itself."

Let's take this one in two parts, OK? First, to let go of the fear of the unknown is one of the greatest accomplishments some of us will ever make. Face it, the "unknown" sits "out there" as a big, hairy monster, in some cases. Sometimes, I've stayed with an abusive partner because of my fear of the unknown. Someone wrote about the "devil you know" and how we stay in jobs, relationships and even places, rather than venturing out to parts unknown.

So what is it about the "unknown" that is so daunting? Isn't it a little about our childhood fear of the dark? Fearing what we can't see or feel or know in the world is something that our ego creates in its attempt to keep us safe.

Yet, as we heal and grow and learn to trust the Universe (or God or Divine Source-whatever you call the Creator) we begin to know that there is no "out there." We learn that fears are an inside issue. Once I heal my childhood hurts and trauma, I open to trusting in the Universe to bring in my heart's desires.

Have you ever had a day where you had no plans and just decided to "go with the flow" and it blossomed into the most beautiful day of fun activities, great encounters and fantastic blessings? Well, I'm here to tell you that EVERY DAY can be like this when we let go of our fear of the unknown!

Now, to the second part of today's surrender phrase: "take one small step and watch the path reveal itself." This is also something that is hard for some of us to understand. We want to SEE the path, telling ourselves that we NEED to see it, to know that we are on our path. But, here's what Master Teacher Joseph Campbell says:

“If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it's not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That's why it's your path.”

Isn't that beautiful? I remember when I made the decision to divorce in 1996, I took a step and it was blessed. I took another step and that one was blessed. In April of 1997, I put my house on the market. It sold in 4 days! I consider that a blessing, also.

On my path, I also encounter closed doors and times of waiting. However, it is all part of "my path." That's why I love the phrasing in Shannon's item for today.

So, just like a baby who is learning to walk, I take one step here and one step there. I let go of my fear of the unknown, and trust that I am held in the arms of the Universe. I celebrate with gratitude as my path is revealed to me. How does it get any better than that?