Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Fear not Fear

I have recently thought about fear a lot lately. I tend to feel it when I am around the opposite sex. My insides regress to the age of 14 when I would get scared to even talk to a girl. The same thing happens now. But I think more often people think of fear as bad or evil. One might fear failure so they won't try or attempt anything that might fall under failure umbrella.

I think fear of failure can also cause you to try harder so you won't fail. But remember it isn't failure if we experience it alone. It is only failure when other are there to witness us not succeeding.

Fear drives you to stand up for the things you believe it.

Fear helps you strive for things you normally wouldn't. If you are scared of disappointment, won't you try harder, work harder for the thing you want most?

Fear is not only good, but as Kevin Hogan said, necessary. It is a driving force. It forces you to either run or fight and both of those things can be good. Everyone is born with it. Mothers and fathers fear for their first born, learning the early stages of that tender life and taking care of them. It can also be learned. People will experience fear in their life whether it is being held at gun point or standing in front of a girl, trying to get the nerves to ask her out.

What causes our fear? Does it stem from our "lack of father figure when we are younger?" Or is it a natural instinct that helps us learn and keeps us from making mistakes? Fear is real. It is a real emotion that drives us to do our best, keep ourselves in line, and can help us not make any stupid mistakes in life. There is no shame in running as also there can be some sense in staying and fighting. From that first time we raise our hands in classroom in the 1st grade and get an answer wrong to when we hold that tiny little piece of life in our arms, fear will always be with us. It is a matter of which direction we let it push us and if we let it effect our lives in a positive way.

Two steps? Only in dancing

The Texas Two-Step is a dance that really isn't all that exciting but its where more than one step is allowed before the action happens. In basketball, well, that isn't the story so much anymore.

The rule allows players to take two steps before dribbling, passing, whining, or dunking. It also gives my sister a better chance at making it to the NBA as well. It is so ridiculous that they have to conform to the complaints of those playing in the NBA. But I guess it has been a long time coming. All the NBA greats from Chamberlain, Johnson, and even MJ have gotten away with it but now it happens all the time. I guess it doesn't even matter because the refs never called it to begin with. You have Lebron and Kobe going 25 feet to the basket and getting there without the ball ever hitting the ground.

I guess it comes down to "how can we make more money? Oh, dunks." People love a good show and this new rule is going to allow the greatest show on earth to give away tickets for free.

I say make the players earn their money the old fashioned way.

I say take this rule and throw it under the feet of those who are actually traveling.

But what do I know? I am just a skinny, white boy who can't dunk.