I have this constant battle with fear. I'm continuously conquering it in new ways, and it slowly becomes easier for me to manage, but it's always there. Somewhere brewing under the surface, manifesting itself in different circumstances, putting on a new mask or fooling me into thinking it's some other emotion: Jealousy, embarrassment, anxiety. Sometimes I don't recognize it until it's gone, but it's essentially the same thing every time. The war against myself. The fight against my own fear.

I'm not the first person to say these things. People can spend their entire life listening to others, believing and even understanding what they say: But until you experience those words on a personal level you'll remain ignorant. Books can tell you the truth, but the wisdom of truth is in experience.