Transforming Fear into Curiosity Through Wonder

My one-year-old son taught me something, afresh, recently. As I dragged the vacuum cleaner out to clean the carpet in our living area I noticed he was especially talkative. Our previous experiences with him and this noisy electric machine have not been so favourable. A gripping sense of terror would fill him and suddenly there would be tears. This recent experience, however, was totally different. His talkative demeanour astounded us. I sat him in his high chair, and he was still quite afraid when the machine came close, but there was also the inclusion of curiosity, like, “What is that thing?”

When God ushered through me these words, I knew I’d been taught by my son – anyone can teach us: “You can transform your fear into curiosity through wonder.”

Our son hadn’t chosen to be curious from his own volition. His curiosity has been birthed in wonder. Suddenly, he was seriously interested in this machine he knew was loud. It was a revelation to him as it was to us.

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We have the same opportunities to transform our fear into curiosity through wonder. We can wonder why it is we are fearful of certain people and situations as we step outside ourselves.

As we open our minds into the vast expanses of wonder for that which we are yet to master, mastery comes into view through plain curiosity.

This is the childlike faith in full swing, with no guard in place as a barrier to faith. We still go into the territory of fear with a sense of safe caution, but it no longer disables or disempowers us.

As we build our case for wonder at the common, everyday situations and relationships we have before us, we cannot help be curious. This takes down fear and gives us the ability to problem-solve, and when we problem-solve we create strategies for courage as well as a plan for success.

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If fear cannot beat us down, what can? From a simple externalisation of our difficulties we are able to wonder, and from wonder comes curiosity, and curiosity defeats the talons of fear that otherwise sink into the flesh of our psyches.

From an open mind we are able to close down any irrational fear. As we delve into our fear curiously we are able to deconstruct it piece by piece. More power for love is ours as we break fear down without being fearful of it.

Let me say it once more... If fear cannot beat us down, what can? Wonder invites curiosity. And such love for life defeats fear.

© 2014 S. J. Wickham.