- What I fear most in life is unemployment. Having no job means having no money and no comforts. Therefore, I cannot support myself and my family and sometimes can run into debt or, even worse, go begging. Being jobless and sitting idly easily leads me to do evil things and then lose myself and my opinion in the family and society.
- The biggest fear in my life is loss of health. To me, health is better than wealth, and without good health, people cannot do anything useful for life. I am always filled with fear when thinking of the day that I am no longer a man strong enough to work in order to live but a burden to myself, my family, and the society.
- Poverty is my constant worries. In spite of the notion that poverty is no crime, poverty is terrible to me indeed. It seems that when living in poverty, I will be looked down upon and there is little chance for me to make progress in life. It is poverty that can separate friends from friends, lovers from lovers, and life partners from each other.
- Perhaps death is what scares me most. I never believe in life after death. I really don’t have any idea what will happen to me after I die. What is unknown adds to my unreasoned fear. However, I notice that if I at all times fear death, that is, death always haunts my mind, I probably feel that I’m living as well as dying. Death is in me, a man who is still alive.
- Not only is fear a very normal emotion but it is also an essential emotion. To be totally without fear is to be in serious danger. Needless to say, fear is an essential defense mechanism. To express the uselessness of fear and worry, Mark Twain once said, “I’ve had a lot of problems in my life, most of which never happened.”
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
- Which of the following are you most afraid of? Why?
- Spiders
- Mice
- Snakes
- Big dogs
- Insects
- Lizards
- Cockroaches
- Heights
- Darkness
- Water
- Flying
- Storms
- Are you most scared of which of the following?
- Being jobless
- Being lonely
- Having no money
- Giving birth to a baby
- Going to a dentist
- Aging
- Failure
- Ghosts
- Are you a bit afraid of something when you think about your future? For example, you may be afraid of getting older or losing your job.
- Give some advice for a person who is afraid of staying in a closed space, speaking in public, or getting on an airplane.
- To me what makes me fear is the love of women because it is known to be a lovely and a fearful thing. How about you?
- Tell about a time when you were frightened as a child and as an adult. How to overcome those fears?
- Have you ever made friend with those who are afraid of their wives? Are they pitiful or blameworthy?
- Are those who are fond to live but fear to die usually cowards?
- What makes people overcome their fear when facing death?