In our school, the character trait for the month of March is courageous. In class, we are currently talking about being brave and courageous in different settings.

In our church, we are also talking about being so afraid. I told my class a story about the video shown to us in church last Sunday. One man wanted to jump off a cliff and swim in the lake but his fears were stopping him from doing so. A friend who encouraged him caused him to jump. They jumped off the cliff together.

We discussed the story. Then I had them write down their fears on a sheet of paper. Some wrote a list of their fears. Others drew them. I also write mine. When they were done, each of us talked about it in front of class. Then I asked them, at the count of five, to tear their lists of fears as a start of braving out and saying goodbye to them. We did this together, all at the same time.

Except for one child. I was surprised that one child could not say tear his paper. He said, "I don't like tearing my drawing!" He had tears in his eyes. I kept on explaining to him that it was not because we did not like the drawing but it served as a sign of saying facing our fears and saying goodbye to them. It served as a sign of courage and bravery. He thought about it for awhile then he slowly tore his drawings. He even hid some in his pockets so that they would not be thrown away. I told him, "Leave nothing behind. Let it all go. Give all your fears to God." He smiled, hesitating at first, emptied his pockets and threw the torn pieces of papers in the trash.

In my mind, I thought that I am sometimes similar to this child. A picture of myself caving in and being afraid came to view. This happens to most of us. We sometimes get wrong notions about what will happen in the process of tearing our fears down. If we do tear some of them, we still hide in order to avoid some. Why? Because we are afraid of the uncertainty that we might not be able to handle it and still end up more afraid.

If you are like this child, like me, you are not alone. I am also afraid. But there is a promise to all of us, if we believe. "The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1