In modern times, behind our smiles, is great trepidation. I wonder if our ancestors, who had to confront wild animals, disease, and famine, lived in as much fear as we do. There is a lot less in modern times to dread, but we have much greater trepidation in our lives. Even politics has become a game of fear of the other. Politicians of all shades exploit this fear of the other party, race, nationality side. They exploit all the beautiful differences that enrich us all. This leads to mass hysteria. You would think that Global warming is an issue of concern to all of us, but politicians on both sides of the aisle exploit it, rather than a unity of purpose. Modern parents do not teach their children how to handle danger. Instead, they make them fear danger in the hope that they will cocoon themselves. TV channels have adopted the strategy of causing dread amongst their viewers, to keep them glued to their respective stations. The millennials have FOMO {fear of missing out}, in addition to so many other fears that they absorb from the adults, social media, and the culture we live in. The food industry paints certain healthy foods as the cause of increased death to further their own business goals, again encouraging consternation within us. We are slaves to trepidation, angst, fear and panic. Our political, religious leaders, actually leaders of all shades, who are supposed to guide us, are the fear-mongers. It is because of them that life today feels like living on a knife’s edge……….