Huntress of Worries

She slips timidly across the terrain of paranoia. It is hard to know whether she has peaceful days, ones in which her tranquility is not snatched away by some worry. Her worries invade everyone, and everyone is invaded, too, by her worries. It is at once comical and maddening that even the simplest things take on monstrous dimensions in an instant. A mere noise, a speck of trash on the floor, a smell, the wind, the rain, an alarm, a stain, a bark, a phone call, a message, a device that will not turn on, a cockroach, a request, an answer, the silence, the sun, an appointment, a friend, a brother, a piece of news, a story, the neighbor's footsteps. Some worries are valid, others exaggerated. I try to draw her away from her permanent state of alert, without success. At times I have noticed that it is enough simply to ignore her worry for it to eventually disappear, something I apply when I consider it to be out of place. Giving way to a joke, a bit of teasing, laughing together, can sometimes be the perfect solution. But we need only turn serious over some situation that afflicts us for the harmony to vanish and the monster to make its appearance. A monster that feeds first and foremost on desperation, helplessness, disappointment, and impatience. It has the capacity to devour all your confidence if you allow it. Ignoring it is of little use; it grows stronger, louder, more imposing. You have to confront it, like one who readies himself for a battle without the certainty of returning. A battle that you know will rob you of all your energy. There is nothing I can do for now, only enjoy the happy moments, those in which the monster is resting. © Alejandro Guipe | All Rights Reserved.