Living in New York is anything but normal. As New Yorkers we have to be aware of our surroundings, no matter where we are and who we’re with. Most often than not we see news headlines about a stabbing on the subway, a suspicious package shutting down Times Square or Grand Central and a passenger attacked by their Uber driver. Although things may become worse we can’t let fear stop us from our daily commute or from enjoying our lives as New Yorkers.
Everything in New York revolves around commuting whether it be walking or taking a cab, the subway or the bus. We can’t escape public transportation. If we did we wouldn’t even be able to step out of our door. Commuting has recently become a big part of my life since I go to a commuter college. Even though I take the subway for three stops, there are times at which I do worry about my safety. From the moment I swipe my MetroCard I have to become much more aware of what's going on around me.
It’s hard not to worry about your safety when riding the subway considering the many stabbings that have taken place. The reality of it all is that these situations do happen. At times I can be in denial about all the “bad possibilities.” From time to time I’ll ride the subway blasting music through my earphones without a care in the world. But then reality kicks in and I’m reminded of the many times my mother would call me to tell me about these crazy stories. Not a day goes by without a text from my mom saying, “Pay attention,” or “Be careful.”
Aside from living in fear of the dangerous things that happen in New York, we all have random fears that live inside our heads. Whether we’re afraid of spiders, heights, or the world, these fears stop us. If you know me, you know how spontaneous I can be. At any moment I’m willing to explore different parts of Manhattan and I definitely don’t let anything stop me. I’m curious, eager to try new things and I’m not the type of person to let fear take over and stop me from doing anything. I would be cheating myself from living life if I avoided risk and controlled my surroundings.
It’s not easy to get over these fears. But if we allowed our minds to relax we would most likely be able to conquer our fears. Yes, if we’re asked to jump out of a plane many of us would respond, “Oh, hell no!” We can’t judge someone on their fears, they are all reasonable.
For the longest time I was terrified of animals, especially dogs. I faced my fears by visiting friends and family members who had dogs. I wasn’t attacked by the dogs, I tried something new and nothing bad happened. Now, I’m obsessed with puppies and I always get emotional anytime I see a cute puppy on the streets. I’m still scared of plenty of things but the fact that I faced one of my fears completely changed the way I view the world. The feeling you get after conquering a fear is indescribable. You feel as if you are on top of the world and you’re ready to conquer more.
Slowly but surely, I’m learning to not live in fear. There’s something about Manhattan that has my heart. We don’t live on the farm where people worry about their chickens producing. We live in New York and it's a city that kicks our ass. Either way we can’t allow fear or unfortunate events to overcome us and stop us from enjoying our home. After all, this is the life we live and we have to face the things that can limit our lives.
