Be Afraid But Do It Anyway by Erna Morgan McReynolds

From a Tiny Dairy Farm to the U.N.

Being scared—you are right.” That is exactly what everyone who has spoken to me about my column has said. “You feel just like me. I am always scared. I loved reading that you were scared, too.”

Then I began to think of more times when I was afraid, like speaking at the United Nations. Doesn’t that sound like being a big deal? Not exactly—I shook all over. What if…what if…what if? And there are even more what ifs. But after staying up half the night worrying, getting my nails done, my hair done, having a strange man put make-up on me, I made it through security at the UN. The security itself seemed designed to induce fear. Barbed wire fence, security x-rays. Screening of documents like passports. Uniformed security officers.

Then, do you know how big the UN complex is? Good thing I arrived early.