Ever notice that the things we’re most afraid of often make no sense?

I took the photo above with a standard 50 mm lens.  It was completely unexpected. I’d gone to an animal safari park to shoot, but had arrived to early too be let in.  With nothing to do but wait, I sat down to meditate.  Fifteen minutes later, I opened my eyes to see this.  Of course, there was an electric barrier between us,  but still,  this guy was a little close.

We sat together, staring calmly at each other as the minutes past.  Finally, I moved ever so slightly to capture this shot.  With the camera still in my lap,  I slipped off the lens cap and gently pressed the shutter.  This is the photo I took.  Truth be told,  I never even looked thru the lens!  (If you haven’t read my earlier blog entries about channeling Bertha – now might be a good time. )

Anyway, in taking the photo above, I had no fear – or at least very little.  I am not afraid of animals.  As long as the ratio remains one-on-one, we seem to understand each other.  Birds however are a completely different story.

When I took this shot, I was terrified!  This is a Chinese crested pheasant.  This is a bird who did not like me.  He wanted me gone – maybe, he wanted me dead.  Although logically I knew this guy couldn’t hurt me.  A 6 – 8 pound creature with no teeth or claws; he basically just ran around the ground going after my toes, but none-the-less, I was afraid of him.  I snapped his photo and quickly moved on.

Below is another photo that struck fear in my heart.

This is a praying mantis, and a very angry one at that.  This guy was fierce.  He displayed more courage than an army of giants.  He locked in,  tracking me – staring dead into my eyes and never blinking, (never mind that he doesn’t have eyelids – the constant gaze was creepy!)   Standing on his hind legs, he danced his upper body back and forth –  arms extended out to kill me.  Though a few ounces at best, and a bite I’d barely notice, his sheer confidence and conviction was unnerving.  I was scared: He seemed to know something I didn’t.

So there it is: three photos, two of which were terrifying to take and one that barely bothered me at all.  But the funny thing is, I’m not a stupid person.  I consciously knew that my fears were misplaced. A Chinese crested pheasant can not hurt me.  The arms of a praying mantis will never kill me. Logically I know this.  But alas, fear is never logical.

 While blogging isn’t exactly taking a picture, it is revealing one.

 And I’m very much afraid.

Let’s face it,  the spiritual and metaphysical realm is rarely well received. (At least not by mainstream society.)  Tell your latest Match.com date that you see energy fields and you might as well kiss them goodbye.  But not telling them, isn’t working either.

The hiding is getting old.

  It’s time to face the proverbial mantis and simply let him stare!