In this time of the pandemic, many people can’t help but live in fear, which is a basic survival mechanism triggered by the threat of Covid infection. I yield my space today to my loving wife, Evelyn Dumaguin Arranza, who discusses the enigma of fear.
People have their weaknesses, but the most dreadful of all emotions I think is fear. Fear is a symptom of what is there to come that we dread, the anticipated trauma. Trauma means having crossed the line of sanity to the unknown, which could mean crazy, regret or death. Fear should be rationalized and understood in order for us to be ready and not succumb to it. As fear is an intense feeling, it just takes seconds to react to it—flee, be stunned and face daringly or die.
The threat of harm or a loss, real or imagined, leads to fear, especially in losing what is thought to be happy, satisfactory and contented state of being, for there is no such thing as a continuously perfect life—often life is a perfidy and change is imminent. The feeling of love equates to happiness, which is not only directed to people but to things, places and situations as well. And when that feeling of happiness has failed, the person becomes disconnected and off-course too, like the person who lost the job that he loves very much; he feels inadequate being rejected. There is that old adage “there is nothing to fear but fear itself,” which is not true. Maybe if we are talking about phobias, there are times some of us can overcome it by being gradually exposed to the source of our phobia, but fear as an alarm is a reason for us to be prepared and ready.
Shame leads to fear like the legend about Oedipus. Let me refresh: His father, the King of Teves consulted the oracle who foretold that he will be killed by his own son. Convinced, he wanted his son killed; but the son was surreptitiously given away to another kingdom. He grew up and became an admired soldier assigned to fight an enemy kingdom, unknowingly that of his father’s. Oedipus killed him and, finding the queen beautiful, he married her. He later found out about his true circumstances and to his shame, punished himself by pulling out his eyeballs.
Many people face their fear by preparation, which is oftentimes costly, like the scientists who claim that the Earth is weakening and likely to blow up in such and such a time, so they think of exploring Mars or Venus as an option for mankind, which, to me, is ridiculous. We have so many earthly problems that needed the money to solve them. Or it is the other way around, the scientists fear they are not being included in the budget of such big nations, so they invent absurdities. Such ideas are cankerous to our faith in God, the creator of the universe and everything in it. God planned everything the way He wants it done, and if man goes beyond his own sphere and tinkers against God’s designs, then it is time to be afraid.
The Covid-19 virus and its variants are unexplainable and worrisome. The natural elements in violent weather conditions are ready to destroy, like they have living minds of their own. If you believe in UFOs, the question is who and what are they? There are people born with exceptional and extraordinary talents, as well as people born abnormal and lamentable. There are beliefs that are turning upside down and inside out and traditional beliefs are dying and new notions come to the fore and take over, like people of same sex marrying and mouth kissing openly in public and condoned by the supposedly respectable elite. Then what’s next? Maybe, marrying one’s pet? I presume the pet should be injected with human cells to conform to humanity’s cells, so we will expect the existence of half person, half animal in the future. Just thinking of it gives me the shudders.
Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza is the chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries and Fight Illicit Trade; a broad-based, multisectoral movement intended to protect consumers, safeguard government revenues and shield legitimate industries from the ill effects of smuggling.