welcome August 9, 2004 Issue

Out of panic into God's safe arms

Maike Byrd

As I'm writing this, there's news of another devastating car bomb exploding in Iraq, and another hostage killing in that war–torn country. With terrorism and threats of terrorism at an all–time high across the world, many people feel on edge, even panicked.

Panic is described in one dictionary as a "sudden, overpowering fright." Ask most people and they will tell you that at one point or another they've struggled with an overpowering feeling of fear in their personal lives. One of my own experiences goes back to early childhood, when I was visiting a zoo with my parents and siblings and got caught in mass hysteria. News of a stampeding elephant caused people around us to start running toward the zoo exit. Frightened, I grabbed the hand of my little sister, and we, too, ran.

It took the firm voice of my mother shouting my name to make me stop in my tracks. As she caught up with us in the crowd, she just pulled us over, held us tightly, and said, "There's nothing to be afraid of." That instantly removed all my fear, and I felt safe. Everyone else calmed down soon after that, too, and we heard that the elephant had been brought under control.

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