Taking on the Fire
How I Killed My Fear and Found My Strength
We often believe fear exists to protect us. It whispers warnings, sets boundaries, and convinces us to play it safe. For years, I let that voice guide me, especially one deep-rooted fear that ruled my life: the fear of fire.
I thought it was rational. Fire burns. Fire destroys. So, I avoided it. I used only electric stoves. I flinched at candles and froze at the smell of smoke. I even planned my life around avoiding flames. It worked. Until the day it didn’t.
When Fear Faces Fire
It was a regular evening. My partner was working late, and I was home alone with our toddler. After dinner, I stepped into the backyard to water the plants. The air was calm, and everything felt safe, until I heard it.
A scream.
My child’s voice pierced the air like a siren. I spun around. Flames danced through the living room window. My heart stopped. The house was on fire. My child was trapped inside.
For a second, I froze. Fear held me. The fire laughed at me, daring me to move.
One Second of Courage Can Change Everything
Then something shifted. My child was inside and in danger. And suddenly, the fear that once paralyzed me broke apart.
I didn’t think. I didn’t plan. I just ran.
I tore through the garden, kicked open the door, and stepped into the inferno. Flames licked the kitchen walls. Smoke choked the air. But I didn’t care. I pushed past the kitchen into the living room, eyes stinging, and heart pounding. I snatched my baby from the play-pen and pulled my toddler into my arms.
Together, we stumbled back into the night air. Safe.
The Fire Took My House, But Not My Spirit
Later, as I stood outside, neighbors gathered around. The house was gone. Blackened. Silent. But in my arms was my child, breathing, crying, alive.
And something else was gone too, my fear. It didn’t survive that night. It burned up in the flames. I didn’t just save my child, I saved myself.
Fear Doesn’t Have the Final Word
I realized that night what fear truly is: a barrier, not a guide. It had ruled my life until it faced something stronger: love. In my moment of greatest danger, I didn’t wait to be brave. I responded to the primal instinct to protect. That’s the power we all have. When pushed to our limit, we discover that courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s acting despite it.
You Can Kill Your Fear Too
Fear will always come. But it doesn’t have to stay. You don’t have to wait for a fire to find your strength. You can choose to move forward now, before life forces you to.
So whatever fear you’re facing today, look it in the eye. And tell it: “Your time is up.”
Because once you kill fear, it can never hold you back again.
IF you liked this post, check out: Knowing When to Quit
