The path to Tranquility (spring)
9. No need to fear loss
Perhaps we all fear losing something important, such as a job, health,
wealth, family or friends, etc. Even just thinking about the possibility of
losing them can make us anxious, sad, or even despairing. In fact, the fear of
loss doesn't change anything, but instead can trap us in unnecessary worries
and suffering.
There's no need to fear loss, because we've never really owned anything. Whether it is a house, a loved one, or even life, we only have temporary use or custody rights to everything in the world. Compared to the vastness of the universe, these things are insignificant, and can not exist forever.
Fear of loss only hinders our acquisition of joy. Life is short, but we are still alive, so we should celebrate and be grateful right now. If we live in annoyance and fear because we are afraid of losing, then we have already lost everything at this moment.
Whatever we fear, it will eventually make us afraid of love and close our hearts, living in darkness and loneliness. Because of fear, we refuse to try new things and live like a fossil. Also because of fear, we cannot wake up and can only linger between half-dream and half-awake.
Only by igniting the inner consciousness can we unlock the shackles in the hearts. Even if we really lose something, we can learn from it, gain wisdom and growth. When we can accept any loss, we will also have the courage to face any test in life, become more determined and confident, and act with awareness.
The essence of consciousness is reliance, which is very different from the attitude of caution, because the essence of caution is the fear of making mistakes. Insisting on caution can actually make us fearful and limit our exploration of unknown territory. And consciousness allows us to think clearly, rely on reason and wisdom, and predict the dangers and opportunities ahead.
Consciousness allows us to see clearly what we can really lose. If we fear losing, then we will truly lose. However, this kind of loss is no small matter. Because of the fear of loss and stop moving forward, we will lose precious time in our lives.
