Coffee With David

I was eavesdropping again. I admit it. I know society frowns upon that sort of behavior, but I am a writer. I am an observer of human nature and culture—and you never know what will inspire a piece of writing. In my own defense, I did not intend to eavesdrop. It happens when you just sit and watch humanity in its environment. Sometimes, such events provides more comedy that any possible comedy on the small or large screen. Such was the event of the other day.

I ended up listening to two suburbanite mothers discussing raising their children. Not having children of my own, some might argue that I have no right to criticize. Generally speaking, I would tend to agree. In this instance, I shake and scratch my head. The conversation was that of one mother saying how she did not want her child to ever feel fear. The other mother tittered along in support and agreement. I did not say a word, but silently listened and wanted to cry for their children and the abuse they were about to experience. Oh, these mothers were not going to beat their children or degrade them in any way. They were only going to rob them of the most important and the most exciting emotion we possess. That is right, I just called fear exciting.

Do you doubt fear is one of the most fun filled exciting emotions? Do you also doubt its importance in the development of a person? Let me ask you a few questions: What is success if not for the fear of failure? If you are afraid of a child ever feeling fear, then how can they ever perform in a school play? Learn to play an instrument? Write a story? Explore the world by climbing a mountain or sailing the ocean? How can they ever develop the creativity to imagine a haunted house, walk at night under the stars and imagine what may be out in the darkness?

I do not have to focus on the creative arts to express my grief at what is about to happen to these children. How many times do doctors, lawyers, politicians, or a business man have to take risks? With risk comes fear. That fear guides the risk and the judgment that goes with it. That fear pours the wine of victory into the celebratory chalice that is drunk from when the risk pays off. Without fear they the next generation will do nothing more than sit at home and watch the world go by. They will never date or get married. They will not discover anything, no scientific breakthroughs, no new art, nor will they ever watch or read a thriller or experience a roller coaster ride.

Many of my readers may think that I have gone off the deep end on this. Let me be honest, life has fear. No one can be protected from the emotion. Writers live on this emotion. It is in our stories, in our poems, in our submissions, and it is in our voices as we stand before a crowd reading aloud what our muse has drawn out of our hearts.

Thank you for reading and please visit www.davidalanlucas.com for more information on the articles, blogs, novels, poems, and short stories I am writing.