Higher Than Fear

By: Trisha Ghosh

Arin was afraid of heights

Not loudly

Not dramatically

Quietly—like a shadow behind his ribs

Mountains surrounded his town like a challenge he never asked for

People told him fear was weakness

They were wrong.

Fear was honesty

Arin did not wait for fear to disappear.

He carried it.

Step by step

Breath by breath

The climb was slow. 

Human, uneven.

At the peak, Arin did not celebrate.

He understood.

Courage was not standing without fear.

It was standing with it.

He became the first to step there.

Not because he was fearless—

But because he chose not to turn back