When I first asked myself that question, nothing surfaced. I spent two and a half days in contemplation while telling myself: my heart knows the answer. This morning I asked myself again: What is my greatest fear? The answer revealed itself to me: Dying alone. My soul immediately began to weep, confirming its veracity. Drying my eyes, I sprang out of bed to go into the garden for that merited celebration.
“The fears we don’t face become our limits.” –Robin Sharma
As if that was not confirmation enough, when I walked through the narrow passage connecting the front and rear gardens, I found a bone. Now mind you, in the twelve years that I have lived in this house, I have NEVER had one appear overnight or at any other time, for that matter. This long, thin bone, eight inches in length, had one of the epiphysis missing.
Knowing my fascination with symbolism, I immediately searched for its meaning. I shall not bore you with all of the symbolic details of my experience but only provide a synopsis. Although typically symbolizing death, another interpretation is for underlying truth, an enduring one since bones last longer than the rest of the body. Very fitting indeed!
“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” –Jack Canfield
As I sat there in the refreshing morning breeze, gazing at the bird’s activity, a solitary swallow began its arabesque dance before me. Then two others joined the swooping, diving, twisting, darting, precision dance never once colliding. Suddenly, one left leaving two to continue their extraordinary display of aerobatic skill. After two more turns and twists, the second also left, leaving me to admire the wild gyrations of the solitary swallow.
Serenity washed over me.
“The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth, –
One is nearer God’s heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.”
— Dorothy Frances Gurney
Having regained my vital center, I continued to bask in God’s glory feeling blessed for the abundance surrounding me.
“Life begins where fear ends.” OSHO
As the swallows demonstrated, I too can gracefully navigate through my fear and challenges, adapting myself beautifully and successfully to what had been deeply hidden at my very core as I release its stronghold. While I may be joined by others in my soul’s flight, in the end, I shall remain as that solitary swallow gracefully dancing in arabesque fashion until I too depart.
And you? What is your greatest fear?
Epiphysis
– Bulbous shape.
Function: Provides attachment for muscles and stability to joints.
Muscle: main function is to provide movement; second function is the maintenance of posture and body position.
Diaphysis: main shaft of long bone
Function: Provide strong support without cumbersome weight.