THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN

Sometimes, when I get the opportunity to interact with people from different backgrounds and race, I remain ever grateful, because it gives me an idea of just how different we all are, in terms of behavior, values, principles, views etc. These differences when harnessed effectively, make the world happen. Our differences make us a rainbow of possibilities. We see things from other people's perspectives, things that our race, environment, background, religion, gender could have very well affected. We exchange ideas, develop ourselves and the world we live in. However, one of man's greatest flaws is our inability to try to understand what we do not recognize. We don't try. As a matter of fact, we do not like the word 'TRY'- Mostly because it already defines something we cannot do with ease. It calls up a feeling of stress and we do not like to be stressed.

Therefore, as long as we don't relate to it, it has to be negative. We see it as a threat. We are constantly battling with the 'fear of the unknown' in everything we do; in relationships, in friendships, in politics, in our government, in official interactions. Every single thing. We do not like what we do not understand, yet we do not want to try to understand them before we act or decide. We want to remain comfortable in our little box filled with the things we can predict. With this fear, comes a need to destroy, demolish and diminish.

This is one of the reasons why most relationships go down the drain. Some couples fail to accept and enjoy their differences instead, they mold and bend those differences to fit into their respective ideas of 'what should be' creating painful cracks as they go. Of course, not all 'unknowns' exist as positive entities, not all differences come together to work for the best. But how do we know if it is an alliance that will benefit us or not if we do not get over ourselves, our fears, our doubts and try to understand him, her or it in all their entirety? When we understand, then we can begin to weigh on all our existing scales of right and wrong, good and bad, compatible or not compatible -Values -Principles -Norms -Religious Beliefs -Ethical standards etc.

New things can work in our favor, changes could profit us. But we have to be able to fight off the fear of the things we are yet to understand, have all the information we need before concluding. Even if we do not end up connecting, we learn something new and we will be better off because of it.