Ahh! Oh—oh, hi! You startled me! Don’t sneak up like that, okay? My heart nearly leapt right out of my chest, and trust me, that is not something you want to see. Anyway—um—hello. I’m… Fear. Riley’s Fear, actually. The one responsible for making sure she doesn’t get run over, doesn’t embarrass herself in front of her friends, and doesn’t—oh no, don’t tell me—step on gum! Is there gum around here? Ohhh, this could be bad…

Okay, okay, deep breaths. I can do this. So… welcome! I’m Fear. My job is basically to freak out about all the things that might go wrong. And let me tell you, a lot of things might go wrong. Slipping, falling, sneezing at the wrong time, dropping your phone in the toilet—seriously, do you know how often that happens? It’s terrifying.

But hey, don’t get me wrong! I’m not useless. No way! Fear is important. Without me, Riley wouldn’t look both ways before crossing the street, or double-check her homework before handing it in, or rehearse what she’s going to say before she talks to her coach. I keep her safe. I keep her alert. I keep her—well—alive! Pretty important, if you ask me.

Still… sometimes I overdo it. I admit it. Sometimes I scream when it’s just a shadow, or dive under a table when someone drops a balloon, or run in circles because I think the sky is falling. (It could fall, you know. Not likely, but it could!) Joy says I panic too much. Anger says I’m a coward. Disgust just rolls her eyes. Sadness… well, Sadness understands me, I think. She knows that sometimes it’s okay to feel small and shaky.

Here in Disney World, though? Oh boy. Don’t even get me started. There are rides that go upside down—upside down! There are fireworks—giant explosions in the sky, and people are cheering as if it’s fun! There are parades—don’t get me wrong, they’re beautiful, but what if one of the floats breaks down? What if a character costume zipper gets stuck? What if a marching band trombone slides too far and whacks somebody in the nose? Catastrophe! CHAOS! shudders

Still… I have to admit, meeting you isn’t so bad. You seem nice. You’re smiling at me instead of laughing at me. That’s… reassuring. Not a lot of people like spending time with the nervous Emotion, you know. Most people run to Joy, or cuddle Sadness, or crack up at Anger. Me? I’m the one waving his arms and shrieking in the corner. But hey—you came to see me. That means something. That means maybe, just maybe, you know what it’s like to be scared sometimes too.

And that’s okay. Fear isn’t bad. It just means you care enough to protect yourself, to avoid danger, to pay attention. You can laugh at me all you want—I mean, please don’t, but you probably will—but remember: without Fear, Riley wouldn’t have made it this far. And without your Fear, you wouldn’t have, either.

So, uh… thanks for visiting me. Just… be careful on your way out. Watch for puddles. And cracks. And—uh—bees. There are bees sometimes. Oh, and—uh—actually… can I ask you something? What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever had to face? I’ll feel a little better knowing I’m not the only one jumping at shadows.