I moved the blanket away from the door to let the dogs out last night, and for a minute I was struck with the paralyzing fear that on the other side of that barrier was someone patiently waiting for the opportunity to strike out. Instead, it was just the empty porch, empty yard, and beyond the line of trees? Who knows.

It's the unknown that frightens me more than the certainty. Once something is certain, the next step is to find ways to cope. How do you cope with what you can't identify? When there is no earthly way to assure yourself that there's no danger, how can you label your fear as unreasonable? How can anyone rightfully dismiss your fear as paranoia when they also possess no way to prove their point or disprove yours?