Talk about overcoming fear, Harriet Tubman wrote a controversial book about slavery as a black woman at a time when women were not considered anything more than possessions. Uncle Tom’s Cabin opened the world’s eyes to the perils and reality of slavery. She had to have known what writing about that topic would do and she did it anyway. That level of courage connects back to this quote, “I can die but once”.
What would you do if your only fear was death? We all live with so many fears and we let all that fear prevent us from doing so many things. This happens simply because our fear is greater than our own ideas. What would our lives look like if our only fear was dying and nothing else? Would we stand taller, speak more honestly, be a more genuine version of ourselves? Or would we shrink into the corner for fear of our life ending? Who would care what other people think if our life could end? And yet we let things – our finances, what people think, our reputations, our status, even our own self concept – prevent us from being totally honest with ourselves and others. We don’t want to rock the boat…for fear of falling out? We can die but once.
This strange 2020 year is quickly coming to an end. How do you want your year to end? Is it better than you found it back in January, are you a better version of yourself? Is your family, home, appearance, interests and responsibility in a better place than it was many months ago? There is still time to get done what you want to get done, no matter what anyone else thinks. What matters is what you think, how you feel, and what you DO about both of those things. We can only die but once. Will you go to your grave with the music inside you still trying to get out? Or will you let it out joyfully and not worry about the consequences? Maybe today is a good day to remember Harriet Tubman and to be reminded that what you have to say is worth saying, or doing, or creating simply because.
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