Sunset wasn’t for another couple of hours and it was early spring and the air was clear and the upstairs outdoor bar was packed with college kids, locals and out-of-towners relaxing on a Friday night.  It was perfection, bar food and trendy, local hard cider and laughter and the sun on our faces.

Our crew of 10 was waiting for a small and loosely organized parade of millennials to shuffle into the parking lot 1- story below and play music to promote an upcoming summer concert.  We were all relaxed and I was leaning against the railing chit chatting with a woman in our group who out-of-the-blue says, “I always think something like this could collapse” referring to the crowded wooden deck.

I tell her that’s sometimes occurred to me  too.  But it hadn’t that night even though the place was filled to capacity and they weren’t allowing anyone else to come upstairs to join the party unless someone left.

I pushed what she said about the possibility of the deck collapsing out of my mind for a moment.  Then I thought, if this same deck were over water – a bridge –  I wouldn’t be hanging out here so casually NOT thinking about it collapsing. 

It made me think just how specific my fear is.  Maybe overcoming a fear is in the not thinking about it?  As easy (or difficult) as mind over matter?