Facing down fear is the hardest part of life, I think. It hurts and it is scary. Why do it again and again? Comfort is found in routine and complacency. It is in that space where darkness sneaks in: doubt, suspicion, hatred, anger (all stemming from fear), and it clutters our soul. We all know it is long, arduous work to rid ourselves of demons. The pain reminds me of my favorite quote (from Beloved by Toni Morrison, of course): “Anything dead coming back to life hurts.”

And does it hurt! Days and nights spent healing ourselves from lies. The same imagery visiting over and over, relentlessly pursuing and forcing us to confront it all. And we know that surviving the fear is possible, but does it make the journey easier? Of course not. We’re in a deserted canyon with crumbling walls replacing our only way out. What we truly need is hope; the understanding that love will always conquer fear.