“The enemy is fear. We think it is hate, but it is fear.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

The purpose of fear is awareness. And when we are fully aware, our fear becomes our friend. Fear wakes us up, tells us to look alive, because we need to pay attention to what is coming, right now. The word “Beware!” is actually a contraction of “Be Aware!”

When Gandhi says that fear is our enemy, he means we must not be driven by fear: fear of others, fear of failure, fear of success. We must have our fear, rather than letting our fear have us.

If we are unafraid, hatred fades as a force, either expressed by us toward others, or others toward us. It’s not worth the effort hating what we don’t fear!

With fear at our side, keeping us alert, it becomes an ally rather than an obstacle. We don’t have to fear our fear!

What fear can you transform into an ally today? What do you need to be aware of?

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Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the preeminent leader of the Indian independence movement in British-ruled India. Employing nonviolent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. The honorific Mahatma (Sanskrit: “high-souled”, “venerable”) —applied to him first in 1914 in South Africa,—is now used worldwide. He is also called Bapu (“papa”) in India. In common parlance in India he is often called Gandhiji. He is unofficially called the Father of the Nation.

Joe Laur is a father, husband, naturalist, executive, consultant, and a lowly rabbinic student. Send him your favorite teaching quote for commentary. He can be reached at joe.laur@joelaur.com.