Clear and pheasant danger. What fear does

A man is running along a quiet country road.
Suddenly, from out of the undergrowth, there is a frenzy of activity.
A pheasant is panicked by his approach and sqawking, leaps out in front of him, running ahead, fearing itself chased and hunted.
It is driven mad by fear, as this huge presence behind it bears down with thumping speed.
For a hunderd yards, the runner follows the pheasant, scuttling its terrifed way along the road before it turns blindly into the hedgerow and calm.
The man runs on, laughing at the stupid pheasant, so frightened about nothing.
What did the pheasant have to fear? The man meant the pheasant no harm. The fear was all in the mad creature’s head, an illusion.
But how can a pheasant not fear, when fear is all it knows?
It can be equally hard for humans.
If you’re sometimes like the pheasant, be kind to yourself as the fear passes through you – but you don’t have to believe it.
Fear passes through – but it isn’t who you are.