Katlin Strzelecki

“Aspire to greatness without fear.”

                “With great fear, comes great risk.”

                                                For me, these two run hand-in-hand. You find yourself drawn to take the greatest risks when you feel the ache of fear throughout yourself. An individual in a fire filled house is more likely to jump out of a second floor window than if there was not threat on his well-being (the house not being on fire). You find your adrenaline pumping and your fight or flight response rears its looming head and you find yourself questioning whether or not you are either strong enough to take the risk, or to allow the fear to crash over you.

 By succumbing to the fears that chase our thoughts and make us question ourselves, we take the greatest risk we can truly take; and that is to let yourself be guaranteed a life without accomplishment. As we move through the bridge program, I’m constantly terrified that today could be the last day, and that the next email could be to me, telling me that I’m not ready for Columbia or worse; I just didn’t work hard enough.

                I’ve been trying to keep myself in check with my life back home, and my life that I now have in Chicago. It’s almost as if I’m waiting to wake up from an incredible dream. Reading Lost in Place, it’s easy to find yourself being able to relate to the main character (Mark) simply from the fact that he is still searching for someone inside himself that he can feel confident and proud of. For people like Mark and I, our greatest fear is being normal.

                                                                I’ve been a Buddhist for about a year, and the first thing that interested me about it was the Abhaya Mudra, which is the hand symbol scene on Buddha with his right hand extended, palm facing outward. This is the hand symbol meaning no fear. On my right wrist, I have this symbol tattooed; mean that by embracing the fears that come with life. When anyone asks me why I chose to have this tattooed here, along with the having the word karma on my left side, I simply tell them that the Abhaya Mudra is the most well-known Buddhist hand symbol, and to me it is the most influential. Every day when I wake up, and don’t want to keep working, or just really need a break, I see my tattoo. It reminds me that every day will be a new unknown.

                There is a true difference between not having any fear, and being fearless. By being fearless, you find a way to embrace the fear that comes along in our lives. We use that fear to motivate and drive us, to remind us that in life, you cannot press rewind or replay. When you have an opportunity you must find it in yourself to embrace the discomfort. What goes around comes around. The more fear you find yourself able to embrace and use in your favor, the better off your demeanor and value of life will be