I am afraid of the water - whether it’s seawater or freshwater, I am scared of it. Part of the reason why is because I know I am not a good swimmer. I often think about how I would survive should the boat that I am in would capsize. How can I, a non-swimmer possibly head to shore?
Does it stop me from getting into a boat? No.
Just recently, Alla and I took a local fisherman’s boat and asked them to give us a tour of the Five Fingers Island here in the Philippines. There was a part of the sea that was not as calm as I wanted it to be.
As the boat “jumped” from one wave to another, I let out a half-scream, half-nervous laughter and tightly clutched the bamboo pole beside me. Alla knew that I was scared.
I’ve ridden boats so many times and different types too. From big cruise ships, ferries, yachts, speedboats to bankas. And everytime, I still experience the same fear and the same paranoia.
That’s the thing with fear - sometimes, once you conquer it, it’s gone but oftentimes, it doesn’t go away. No matter how many times you conquer it - it just won’t leave you alone.
What then? What matters is that you don’t let your fear paralyze you. Don’t let it stop you from doing what you need and want to do.
What you need to learn is how to live with your fear, suck it up, and know that on the other side is an awesome island waiting for you to discover it.
