Just like in movies or novels, there is something so terrifying about closed doors. Often portrayed in scary movies as you watch in utter annoyance as your favorite character is dumb enough to open said unknown door, closed doors can be quite terrifying. The unknown, as one may say, is something that many fear. I mean, shoot! I would not want to be the one to have to open that creaky, wooden door without knowing what lied ahead. But again (sorry so many scary movie references...I guess I have just been into them lately), in scary movies perhaps it is not what lies behind those hinges that is the most frightening, but the lead up to getting up the courage to open it. You know those scenes with the eary music playing that makes you heart just want to leap out of your chest to the TV screen? So I guess to cut to the chase of this extremely long analogy, the unknown is scary. As I sit here with just a few months of college left, what lies ahead is a big burden on my soldiers right now. Where will I live? Where will I work? How will I pay the bills when I can hardly afford anything more expensive than cheap Mexican out? And this reminded me of a quote I found my freshman year written in graffiti on some old bridge. My freshman roommate and I were about to pull our hair out from the stress of finals and decided a much needed "adventure" was needed. Being our ambiguous and somewhat careless selves we just went searching. But what I found from a little "adventure" with an old friend was not just an interesting landmark, but motivation.
"Fear is only a verb if you let it be."-Andrea Gibson
It's funny because out of all the quotes written on this run down, rusty bridge, I would remember this one. Humans strive for contentment. We look for comfort and familiarity in situations. Fear is inevitable but often avoided if possible. But sometimes facing your fears may mean facing the unknown. Maybe finding contentment in not being content is how people cope with this constant fear. And maybe opening that utterly frightening door is the only way to proceed your own personal life movie.