Photo taken in the United Arab Emirates posted courtesy of Akhilesh Sharma
June 24, 2002
"Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it...that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear"....Dale Carnegie.
True. At least from what I can see in other people's lives. Yet I have as yet to master making myself do that which I fear???
The following is taken from Dale Carnegie's Scrapbook....
"Having been a rather sickly and awkward boy, I was, as a young man, at first both nervous and distrustful of my own prowess. I had to train myself painfully and laboriously not merely as regards my body but as regards my soul and spirit....When a boy, I read a passage in one of Marryat's books which always impressed me. In this passage the captain of some small British man-of-war is explaining to the hero how to acquire the quality of fearlessness. He says that at the outset almost every man is frightened when he goes into action but that the course to follow is for the man to keep such a grip on himself that he an act just as if he were not frightened. After this is kept up long enough, it changes from pretense to reality, and the man does in very fact become fearless by sheer dint of practicing fearlessness when he does not feel it. This was the theory upon which I went. There were all kinds of things of which I was afraid at first, ranging from grizzly bears to mean horses and gunfighters, but by acting as if I was not afraid I gradually ceased to be afraid. Most men can have the same experience if they choose"....Theodore Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt, one of the most popular American presidents....sickly and afraid are just not words which come to mind when I think of him. Just knowing he was ever unsure of himself....is encouragement to me. I was looking at this page and thinking how strange this pic from Akhilesh found its way onto this particular page. You see, Jennifer, the name on the Dubai candle above is the name of Akhilesh's girlfriend :-) And quotes about fear and courage seem strange on this page....more like it should have something about undying love :-) But once a friend told me that when a guy asks my father for my hand in marriage....it will be one of the most frightening things he has ever done. I don't believe it :-) I think it will be exciting and fun. And I think when it happens....my love for him will give him strength, and his love for me will give him courage.....as the words of Lao Tsu say...."Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage." So there is a reason for this picture to be on this page with these words :-) It's just for you Akhilesh and Jennifer....totally by accident....as is the song....
song playing....Talking In Your Sleep