When we’re young, we often feel invincible. As we move into our middle years, we might start to feel the weight of what we have and the years ahead, perhaps becoming a bit more cautious. Interestingly, when we reach our senior years, there’s often a return to a kind of fearlessness, though our physical capabilities may not match our youthful exuberance.
I’ve always believed that a touch of fear can be quite healthy. It’s often what keeps most of us from hopping on motorcycles or bungee jumping. In our middle age, a little apprehension might deter us from speculative investments like cryptocurrency or solo sailing around the world. And when we hit what my friends affectionately call our “vintage years,” that healthy dose of fear helps us recognize our limits – perhaps no more jello shots or marathon dancing.
Yet, our own fears don’t stop us from admiring those of any age who truly live life on the edge. Downhill racers, paragliders, and anyone involved in extreme sports on concrete readily come to mind.
I’m mostly talking about activities here, not the larger fears about the future like climate change, dying suns, or the many other unknowns we face. While we absolutely must do our part for future generations, I suspect there’s a divine plan for those deeper uncertainties that hasn’t quite been revealed to us. It seems God likes to keep his cards close to the vest – just look at how we handled the reveal when Jesus arrived!
Ultimately, excessive fear isn’t worth our time, but a little bit of it isn’t all bad.
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