Sisters of the Shadows

Daily writing prompt

What’s a fear you’ve overcome — and how did you do it?

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I had a very common fear, I think; the fear of being alone. You could take this any number of ways. It could mean alone in a romantic sense, alone as in estranged from family, or alone as in the last person on Earth. For me, personally, I was afraid to end up alone without a romantic partner.

Then my last relationship ended almost exactly two years ago, and I’ve been without a romantic partner ever since. That’s not to say I haven’t tried to find a new partner—I’ve spent a lot of time creating profiles on various dating apps in the hopes of finding “the one”—but I’m not as rushed to find someone. I’m taking my time this go-around, and I’m being more selective about the potential partners I match with. This does make the whole process take a bit longer, but with it comes a sense of satisfaction I never anticipated.

For starters, I have more free time to do what I love. To write, to read, to game with friends. I’ve started creating video content again, though of a different calibre than before, and I’m focused on my studies. Ive even been thinking about seeking out writing contests and submitting my writing to them. The world is my oyster, and I but a little pearl coming into being.

So, have I overcome my fear of being alone? I’d certainly like to think so. There’s no longer this impending sense of doom, this overarching weight as I swipe left on countless profiles. Instead, the weight lifts; I am not bound to the earth by others, but instead tethered in place by my own expectations. No one else matters aside from me and my family.

It’s not the New Years resolution I was striving for, but one I achieved nonetheless.

Thanks for reading!