“People are never more insecure than when they become obsessed with their fears at the expense of their dream.”

—Norman Cousins

Most time when I visit my poet friend, we spend time talking about poets from the era of Shakespeare to Billy Collins. We would talk about their journey through life and how they ended up.

When we have exhausted ourselves with great names’ life history, we would have brunch or lunch together. Afterward, we would talk about our personal writings and dreams. We do this continuously for many months and the more we do this, the better our creativity becomes.

One morning I visited him. I got his firm handshake and slouched on the couch as usual. After exchanging some pleasantries, he brought out a copy of TIME magazine and talked about “The man in full.” We spent more than three hours talking about the great American writer before my poet friend excused himself to take a shower.

I picked up the magazine and stared at Tom Wolfe, in full, on the cover page. He was immaculately dressed in white suit, hat and a pair of shoes. A pair of white gloves in a hand, he stood half akimbo leaning on his cane with the other hand wearing a bright smile of a successful writer.

Staring at him, I was lost in Wolfe’s world. I imagined millions of autographs he’d signed; thousands of people who had ran into him, in the subway, stores and parking lots screaming “Holy jeez, he’s Tom Wolfe!” He must have shook their hands and say, “How are you doing?” Maybe simply smile; tilts his hat as a humble person and walk away signing another autograph.

The next minute, it struck me to do something, something a bit crazy. It dawned on me to swap place with Wolfe even if for one-tenth of a second. So, I dissolved Tom Wolfe. I saw myself on the cover page leaning on a cane. I saw myself signing autographs. I heard some distance voices calling after me saying, “That’s him, that’s him. He’s on TIME last week.” I saw myself walking into bookstores and getting bows. I heard some beautiful college blondes whispering as I sat in the train, “I read his book last week; he’s on the best selling list. Do you think he would give an autograph?” (I will if they wouldn’t want me signing it on some breasts like Dylan Thomas did.)

I heard myself talking on Radio Shows. I saw myself getting a warm hug from Oprah Winfrey on her show. I sat on her cream cushion as I got all the entire audience applauding. I sat leg crossed, talking excitedly about my book when I got a back slap. It was my poet friend. I jolted out of my limbo, hating him for cutting short my daydream.

But something had happened to me. Some adrenalin had pumped through my whole system, motivating me to dare for success. A force had been released, devouring my worst enemy. It all came from a picture most readers simply flipped over. Do you think I’m crazy?

I do not say the child in you that turns pales when it comes to taking giant strides should cease to exist, but I’m saying you have to be the one in charge. Like Mark Twain said, “Courage is the resistance to fear, mostly of fear—not absence of fear.”

Mark Twain, like you and me, once had his fear, but he broke away from its manacles. He mastered it. He placed it in chains and dragged it like a tamed dog as he goes about his journey to success.

Coming soon, “Haiku with love”
An inspiring poetry collection by A.Z. Alfred.
To be published by Author House, USA.
www.writesight.com/blackzeal101

About the Author

A.Z. Alfred is a writer and a motivational speaker whose greatest pleasure is observing the world through a window while listening to inspirational songs.