Daily writing prompt

What’s the thing you’re most scared to do? What would it take to get you to do it?

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Today, I faced an intriguing question in the Blogannuary writing prompt: “What’s the thing you’re most scared to do? What would it take to get you to do it?”

When I pondered this question, my list of fears seemed endless. It’s natural for everyone to be scared of something in life – whether it’s the common fears like encountering lizards, snakes, or jumping insects like grasshoppers. We all have our own set of fears.

One of my close friends used to be scared by darkness. She wouldn’t use the lift as she imagined the failure of light that would make her scared and preferred the staircase.

Fear of the dark, also known as nyctophobia, affects individuals in different ways. For some, it’s a mild discomfort that can be easily overcome, while for others, it can be a significant source of anxiety. And who knows, what may seem like a humorous fear to one person could be a very real and serious challenge for another.

I’m here today to confess my secret fear – I have always been afraid of traveling by airplane. It’s a strong fear that has haunted me for a long time. Over the years, I’ve developed insecurities about the way I think, and how I appear in public, and most of all, I wish people didn’t know about this silly fear because it becomes a topic of humor for them.

Story of my first air journey

Today, I want to share the story of my first air journey and how I conquered that fear. Over the past many years, I’ve been on an incredible journey, one that led me through the dark night of the soul. I pushed my fears aside, took leaps of faith, and discovered the magic that happens when you confront your deepest anxieties.

I vividly remember the day I boarded an airplane for the first time. Before that seeing a plane flying in the sky used to thrill me, but the next moment, thoughts of the plane’s engine failing would make my heart pound loudly.

That is why, I was terrified of air travel. Even today, the sight of a plane flying outside my house window scares me. While there might be a chance of survival in a train accident, there is absolutely none in the case of a plane crash.

I remember the day

I remember the day while working in my office, my anxiety was interrupted when our manager handed me a plane ticket, saying, “You have a flight at three o’clock today, and you need to go to Delhi to participate in the event for Hindi Divas tomorrow.”

My heart started pounding suddenly. I had never been on a plane before, and thoughts of the engine failing haunted me. Pleadingly, I asked, “Can’t you send another officer?”

The manager, almost shouting, said, “You’re a Hindi officer, how can another officer go to this event? It’s better to understand your mind and get ready to go.” Helpless in my job, I revealed my predicament and strengthened my mind.

I received the plane ticket, went home first, had dinner, and then headed to the airport in Patna.

I still remember that incident, and it brought a smile to my face. I reached Patna Airport with a beating heart and went straight to the Sahara Air counter. A lady staff welcomed me with a sweet smile and softly asked, ‘Which seat?’ Bypassing my mental state, she herself said, ‘I’m giving you a window seat.’

I thought, what would I do with a window seat? It won’t even open, and so I can’t jump out in case of an emergency.

Anyhow, I entered the plane on time and took my designated seat. Then the air hostess announced, ‘Fasten your seat belts; we guarantee a smooth takeoff.’ I thought, will the landing be smooth too?

She was smiling at us as if saying, ‘Takeoff and landing are both in the hands of the captain. But due to an unknown fear and anxiety, her carefree smile didn’t look good.

The plane took off, experienced a few bumps, and then started swimming in the air. All passengers became comfortable. Some were introducing themselves, some were enjoying sleep, and some were busy watching movies.

I closed my eyes, thinking about God and realizing that the journey of life is also like the journey of this plane. Its takeoff and landing, that is birth and death, are also in the hands of my captain, that is, God.

It’s true; our birth is not in our control. Everything, from caste and religion to family and city of birth, color, richness or poverty, parents – is just a matter of coincidence, decided by a higher power.

What is in our control is the time spent between birth and death, the moments we live.

Just as turbulence occurs in a plane due to bad weather, we also have to face some difficulties in our life journey. However, in the journey of life, the takeoff, the landing, and the turbulence are not in our control.

What is in our control are the choices we make, the decisions we take, and the solutions we find to the problems that may be within our control.

we should enjoy the beautiful life

I believe that despite some turbulence in our lives, we should enjoy the beautiful life to the fullest because our life is a beautiful gift from God.

It wasn’t always this way. I used to live in fear – fear of failure, fear of success, fear of loneliness, fear of the unknown, fear of judgment, and the list goes on. These fears held me back, preventing me from fully experiencing life.

Facing our fears and taking that leap of faith can lead to incredible discoveries and a life lived to the fullest. So, to answer the writing prompt, the thing I was most scared to do was travel by airplane. What did it take to get me to do it? A sense of responsibility in my job, a push from my manager, and a determination to confront and conquer my fear.

In life, we must confront our fears, take those leaps, and discover the magic that happens when we step out of our comfort zones. The journey might have some turbulence, but it’s worth it for the beautiful moments that await us.

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Categories: infotainment

Tags: bloganuary, bloganuary-2024-31, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1834