Chicago Alley by Lily Ignacek
Photography
Fear by Lizeth Torres
Flash Fiction
I am afraid. I will continue to be afraid. It’s what motivates me. I am scared I will fail. I will be scared if I succeed. I am scared things will go wrong. I will be scared for what I will do if they go right. I am scared for what is here and for what is to come. Since childhood, I overthink things. I look for what can go wrong, not what I already know will happen. I always prepare for the possible things that can happen. When I’m in a room, I am aware of the exits. When I face a problem, I think of the outcomes. I look at the glass half empty. I am a pessimist. I look at the difficulty in everything because I learn from it. I can be prepared for it. When I face a problem, I get scared. I use that fear to make my decisions. The fear of failing makes me work harder. It makes my decisions more precise. I see fear as an advantage. It has taught me that through patience and determination you can conquer anything. I know that eventually I will conquer those fears that provoke it. In a way, I am thankful for being afraid. I have learned to be dependent on only myself and to be brave. It has taught me that I am in control, and that I decide how I let that fear affect me. Everyone can learn from their fears. They just have to know how to control their fear, before their fear controls them.