Kevin Costner is My Guru

My good friend Kevin Costner came for breakfast Sunday morning.

OK, not in real life, but via “Parade” in “The SF Chronicle.”

I was having one of those days where I think the world is mad at me, and I wonder if I should even continue with writing since if everyone is mad at me, they won’t want to read me.

Do I really want to put myself out there?

What if people don’t like me (yes, to be read like a whiney fourth grader) or what if I fail? Blah, blah, blah.

Annoying, really, but these thoughts had taken residence in my brain.

While I tried to Zen these thoughts away, something in large print caught my eye on the kitchen table. It was a quote from Kevin Costner, “Don’t let fear hold you back.”

OK, sign noted, so I read the article. Truth be told, I’m not a big follower of movie stars. I’d take a run-in with Allende or Lamott any day.

But Costner was my guru for the day as he said, “We’re afraid of a lot of things in life. It’s part of the human condition. What do we fear? Love? Failure? Telling the truth about ourselves? I think we don’t show people all we truly are because we’re afraid that if they actually know everything about us, they won’t love us. I’m as guilty of that as anyone.”

His words comforted me.

We’re all in this together (not to be sung like “High School Musical.”) 

Ugh, but now that song’s in my head. At least it’s not “Kumbaya.”

By Kristy Lund