One path expands your life. The other quietly closes it.
In 2017, I attended a retreat called Free Your Mind.
I went hoping to heal—hoping to forgive my past, learn self-love, and open my heart.
Underneath the polite smile, though, was fear.
Not discomfort. Not nervousness.
Fear.
The Butterfly Story That Changed Everything
On the first morning, our teacher didn’t introduce himself or outline the schedule.
Instead, he shared a simple story:
A young boy was playing in a field when a butterfly landed in his palm.
Wanting to hold onto its beauty, he closed his fist.
When he opened his hand, the butterfly was gone.
The next day, another butterfly arrived.
This time, the boy kept his hand open.
He admired the delicate creature, felt its softness and lightness.
Eventually, it flew away—free.
And the boy understood:
To love something is to give it freedom.
Love opens the palm.
Fear closes the fist.
That story became the foundation of our retreat.
The Two Energies That Shape Every Life
Neale Donald Walsch once wrote:
“There are only two energies at the core of the human experience: love and fear.”
Love expands.
Fear restricts.
Love invites expression.
Fear punishes authenticity.
As I went through the retreat, I realized I had been living with a clenched fist—trying to control outcomes, relationships, and even myself. I wasn’t protecting my heart. I was trapping it.
So I began gently peeling back the layers of my own fear, discovering what it meant to love without grasping. Slowly, the more I loved myself, the more I could love others—freely, generously, without condition.
Why Fear Isn’t the Enemy
Our teacher reminded us:
Love and fear are not battling forces.
They are twins.
Fear sharpens instinct, protects us, and alerts us to danger.
But fear is not meant to guide relationships, creativity, or self-worth.
When fear is at the center, we grasp:
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We control.
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We criticize.
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We cling.
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We withhold trust.
Fear turns connection into survival.
Love, on the other hand—love breathes:
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It allows freedom.
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It welcomes individuality.
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It celebrates growth.
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It expands the space within and around us.
Love is the open palm.
Fear is the closed fist.
And that subtle shift—open or closed—changes everything.
You Always Have a Choice
Jim Carrey once said:
“You only have two paths: love or fear. Choose love.”
It seems simple. But it’s a daily practice.
Every conversation.
Every hesitation.
Every time we grasp or release.
The question remains the same:
Which path am I choosing right now—love or fear?
Choose Love, Again and Again
You don’t have to reject fear completely.
You just have to stop letting it lead.
Let fear inform you—but let love guide you.
Because the path of fear will always shrink your world.
And the path of love will always open it.
