Live Like a Guide Dog: A Plan for Turning Fear Into CourageSample

Day 7: Listening to God

Reflection:

When we feel afraid, it’s often because our focus is on our circumstances instead of on God. But when we listen to God, we can tune out distractions and be confident. By being mindful and focusing on the present moment and God’s reassurances, we can be brave.

When guide dogs go through their early training, their trainers expose them to all sorts of situations. They want the dogs to be able to handle walking on different surfaces, from shiny tile floors to city sewer grates. They expose them to various distractions and situations to be sure that they don’t get scared or lose focus. This slow and careful process of desensitizing the dogs builds their courage so they can do their job of dealing with obstacles and distractions.

However, one thing trainers try to avoid with puppies in training is “trigger-stacking.” That is, giving the dog too much to handle at one time—for example, noise, uneven surfaces, and another dog barking, happening all at once. That can overload the dog, causing stress and fear.

One week after 9/11, letters containing anthrax were mailed to media outlets and two senators, Tom Daschle and Patrick Leahy. Five people died, and seventeen others were infected. These crimes, on the heels of a terrorist attack, put Americans on edge. Everything felt out of control. Talk about trigger-stacking.

Since Karen and I lived in New Jersey, ten miles from the post office that several of the anthrax letters came through, we were nervous and opened our mail cautiously. We wondered if the terrorists would strike again. We, like all Americans, but especially New Yorkers, lived with a quiet dread. It was a time of fear, and of reevaluating our lives. What really mattered to us? Life was short, and fragile; anything could happen.

Often our fear has to do with things that happened in the past (which we can’t change), or things that might happen in the future (which we can’t control). After 9/11, I could have let fear win. I could have flinched every time I heard an airplane overhead. Instead, I focused on what had actually happened: Roselle and I had been brave. We had made our way out of Tower One and to safety. We could handle difficult situations. We knew we could do hard things because we had done them before.

When our mind goes to the past or future, it’s obviously not in the present, and it’s not much help. But by practicing mindfulness, we can learn to redirect our minds to the present moment, where we can calmly figure out our next step.

God, I want to listen to You. When I feel afraid, remind me to stop, breathe, and listen for Your voice of reassurance.

Was this plan helpful? The content was adapted from my book Live like a Guide Dog: True stories from a blind man and his dogs about being brave, overcoming adversity, and moving forward in faith. Learn more at https://michaelhingson.com/live-like-a-guide-dog/