Categories: fear, friends, needs

I have about 10 wise blog entry ideas every day. I haven’t committed any to writing for over a month. Until now.

We tend to pride ourselves in independence. We love celebrating Independence Day, we have learned not to engage in co-dependent relationships, and we loathe our dependence on foreign oil. We have been trained over generations to be self-reliant as a society and as individuals. We even have learned to say the phrase, “I don’t care what others think about me…” Yet I trust as you read all of this, something doesn’t feel right.

The truth is, I need you. And you need me. Not in the way that implicates I am less without you - but I am more with you. At this point I must concede that the logic of my statement is not…logical.

Tiger Woods is a great golf player. How good would he be if he were the only golf player in the world? How would we know? We know because we can compare his game to other golfers. He’s a better golfer because he’s learned from others. He is a better golfer because others learn from him. And the great thing about Tiger Woods is that he’s not always the best - sometimes he completely tanks! Yet he gets up again, dusts himself off, and plays again.

A phrase of Rhonda Britten’s that’s said often in my circles is, “No one can be fearless alone.” Fear, golf, foreign oil - we’re not alone. Over 6 billion of us on the earth now - and that’s just the humans. We weren’t meant to be independent. We are social creatures. We build societies together. We are greater than the sum of ourselves.

So, in a way, I do care what you think about me. I do enjoy a little dependence on others and I don’t mind when someone needs me for something. I rely on you to be honest, kind, and truthful. Our nation needs Mexico and Canada. And we all need each other.

Truly Yours,

Joseph Lyons

P.S. I graduated from the Fearless Living Institute as a Certified Fearless Living Coach on Tuesday of last week. My full celebration begins June 11 when I embark on yet another journey to Boulder to retreat with my Fearless community, followed by rafting the Colorado into Moab, Utah, biking slickrock in Canyonlands National Park, and enjoying the vibrant lights and sounds of Las Vegas.

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