Greater Than Fear

"The moment that you feel that just possibly you're walking down the street naked, exposing too much of your heart and your mind and what exists on the inside, showing too much of yourself, that's the moment you might be starting to get it right." - Neil Gaiman

   There are times when I scare myself.  I grow close to someone.  I tell a secret.  I write about what stirs me up.  I reveal myself, and I let someone else see what has always been hidden inside of me, and I get scared. 
   There are others times when I am too scared to even get to the point where I could scare myself.  I carefully contain the volcano within me before it erupts.  I disguise my heart with another layer of papier mache.  I am safe.
   I am scared of rejection, afraid to fail.  I fear that if I bring the smallest part of me out of hiding, then the whole world will tear it pieces.  I am scared that if I let someone get close enough to know me, truly know me, they will let me down.  I am afraid that if I take a chance, I will fall on my face.

   But there are times when my desire to live and my need to be known overcome.  My courage overtakes my fear.  And though I am scared, I flee my cage, I lift my voice and sing, and I tear off my mask.  My heart beats and lives and loves freely.  I am me.  And I am greater than the fear.