Got any gremlins? Ah…? Well, I don’t know! What are gremlins, anyway?
In the 1984 (long time ago!) the comedy horror movie, Gremlins, cast these critters as the furry, ugly (but sort of cute) variety. Along with being squirmy, unpredictable, and feisty they reek havoc in people’s lives via gruesome, dangerous escapades. In other words, they end up as nasty, destructive and and evil little monsters. Here’s a sample…
Crazy! Weird! Creepy! No wonder the word gremlin has stayed around and used to describe ugly, icky, and horrible experiences. Truth is, from an emotional perspective, we all have gremlins living in our brains. Conjuring up awful memories of failures and fears, they cackle nonstop using taunting words such as “You’re no good,” “You’ll never make it,” “You messed up last time and it’ll probably happen again,” “You’re dumb,” or “You’ll look mighty stupid.” Oh, if we could only hack those gremlins to pieces and be done with them.
Gremlins enjoy a close association with FEAR. In face, gremlins feed on FEAR. And as they get bigger and more dominant, they just take over our thoughts and feelings. So it is we end up functioning with a whole lot of anxiety and turmoil unable to bridge barriers to action much less stifle the onslaught of frustration and panic.
Here’s how one person expressed the consequences of fear…
“I am fear. I am the menace that lurks in the paths of life, never visible to the eye but sharply felt in the heart. I am the father of despair, the brother of procrastination, the enemy of progress, the tool of tyranny, born of ignorance and nursed on misguided thought, I have darkened more hopes, stifled more ambitions, shattered more ideals, and prevented more accomplishments, than history could record.
Like the changing chameleon, I assume many disguises. I masquerade as caution. I am sometimes known as doubt or worry. But whatever I am called, I am still fear, the obstacle of achievement.
I know no master but one; its name is Understanding. I have no power but what the human mind gives me, and I vanish completely when the light of Understanding reveals the facts as they really are, for I am really nothing.
You see, if you have the courage to acknowledge your fears, you will be taking the first step toward controlling them instead of them controlling you. And, if you take the next step toward understanding, you will be able to move past them to empathy, perhaps even to love.” ~ Anonymous
Truth with a capital T. Fear renders us powerless and hopeless unless we take ample heed to the wisdom found in the last paragraph. First, “acknowledge your fears,” face them head on, don’t flinch! Second, seek to understand the fear and in so doing compassion for ourselves and others emerges and blossoms.
Courage, my friend! Give yourself the gift of facing fears and getting a grip, over time, on what they are all about. Freedom from fear is in sight. So much depends on the word IF, however. Consider what could happen IF you caught a gremlin by the tail and sent it sailing. Send me a text or email. We can attack gremlins together.
