Fear is in the Mind

Have you ever experienced walking along dark street where everything seems and sounds creepy: the wind is blowing cold, leaves and twigs scratching each other, cricket chirping noisily, animals howling from afar, etc.? Have you felt the tension of having goosebumps while inside the room alone feeling like someone else unseen is with you? Or have you encountered your peripheral vision deceiving you like you're seeing someone passed by your side? Creepy, eh?

I don't intend to scare, but to tell you, fear is in our mind. Our mind conceives something to which our other senses react to: having goosebumps, hearing something unusual, seeing things never existed, etc..etc. I encountered the same! And I laughed to the thought that indeed, FEAR IS IN OUR MINDS.

Some time in September 2007, we had an encounter with someone - literally someone and not a pseudo thing or an imagination - which from then on I instilled the title in my mind. I was in college then, 3rd year to count it off, we're renting as bed spacer at UEP with my sister. She had a different room though and I was with the 4J Room. Four-J to mean: Johny, Junard, Jim [me] and another "J" I already forgot. Let's make-name then, say he was Jasper (nicer name though; will edit this one when I am reminded of his name). We were in a two-decked bed. I was in the upper part and Johny was under me. Junard was in the other two-decked upper bed and Jasper was under him. The two were nearer to the door but our bed was adjacent to the door so I can easily see whoever gets in or out.

That was midnight, around 12mn - 1 am when someone was moaning quite a noise already. After few minutes, the sound got louder until someone was already shouting right inside our room!!! The voice of a guy was shouting, "Palabasin N'yo ako dito! (get me outta here!)" over and over. Then he was breaking into the door to get out, punching the wood-made wall which divided each room, and his bed! I was sitting Indian-sit in my bed and out struck. I lost for words, I was thinking, "Are we on fire?" but I couldn't smell any smoke. I started to feel uneasy so I scolded out, "JOHNY ANO YAN!? (What is it Johny?)" I could see his silhouette through the moonlight but I couldn't think of who he was. I was thinking he was Johny because he was shouting Jasper's name but underneath, Johny called up a name I didn't hear well. The thought that he wasn't Johny sank in me and I thought someone else got into our room because I can see Junard alongside in the upper bed!

What if he got a knife with him and strike us all? What if he stole something? What if we were really on fire but due to fear my senses shut down? Plenty of thoughts rushed in until Junard embarked from his bed and turn on the light. Relief  rushed through me upon seeing who the guy was. Funny thing, he was Jasper! He straightened up, fixed himself and sat in his bed still shaky and in fear. Junard opened the door which was broken because Jasper kept on pulling it without even turning the knob! People from other rooms crowded at the doorpost and even our landlord brought a gun with him. Everyone was disturbed by the incident so we asked him what happened, why he was shouting and wanting to get out, and why he was calling himself and so forth. The just said he had a dream. In his dream he was kept in a box and so wanting to get out because he felt suffocated. Sad thing was, he couldn't give any reason why he was calling his own name.

Then everyone went to bed again. I wasn't able to sleep at once and found myself writing the incident in my notebook. I lost the notebook already, glad I still have the memory. Every time I thought of this, I laugh at myself. I was scared by the thoughts, not by what was happening. And so I am convinced, we are so fearful with almost everything in life but the truth is, we're only making it up - creating ghosts we ourselves fear the most.

Jesus comforts us with this: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me." (John 14:1) so that every time we are faced with fears, doubts and worries, we will be reminded that our God is greater than all these.