Unlearned

With hindsight, I can see that my mother passed her overwhelming fears and insecurities on to me in my childhood. The good news is that fear is learned; therefore, it can be unlearned. ~ Overeaters Anonymous, Third Edition (Kindle Locations 1513-1514)

Fear is learned. Can that be true?
It's so ubiquitous, so global,
such an innate part of me.
Fear is me. I am fear.
This short word
somehow touches
about every aspect of our lives.
It was an evil and corroding thread;
the fabric of our existence
was shot through with it.
It set in motion
trains of circumstances,
which brought us misfortune
we felt we didn’t deserve.
But did not we, ourselves,
set the ball rolling?*What freedom rests in the idea
that fear is learned,
so we can erase the acquisition,
abandon the burden,
walk away from it.
Good grief, I'm ready.
Take it away, God,
take it away.

* Alcoholics Anonymous (Kindle Locations 1290-1293).