I gave this question a little though, and the typical responses came to mind as possibilities.

Death: Not all that scared of it. I'm not a tough guy, but just really feel I have little control over it, and shit happens. I'd rather it not happen any time soon, but it is what it is.

Failing at love: Sappy idea? Yeah, on the surface. I do think that finding someone to love, for a lifetime, is really a cool thing. Spending a lifetime alone, and never accomplishing that is a thought that passes through my mind. So many examples of failure, even though I am in a relationship for a year and love my girl to death, nothing is certain. I'm old enough to know that for sure.

The loss of those I love: Family, best friends...whatever. I have lost a best friend, I know the pain and it is nothing short of brutal. Having been through it, I feel I'm better prepared for the inevitable "next time", which is certainly in my future. It scares me, but nothing I lose sleep over.

What does scare me is the notion that when all is said and done, when I'm, hopefully an old man, and on my last legs, when I'm drawing those precious few last breaths and thinking about my life, that I realize it's been a life unfulfilled.

I know there's control over that, to a large degree. What I also know is that the decisions made today shape innumerable events tomorrow. The vision necessary to see all the ripples, and know what they will translate to is impossible. My belief system tells me that you only get one shot at your life. You won the lottery by getting here in the first place, but there is only one chance given. It's my job to make the most of that opportunity, but it does scare me from time to time, to think about the years that have already passed and all that went with those years, and the years ahead. The outcome is uncertain, and try as I might, I have to admit there's some fear wrapped up with all that possibility and hope. My one life.

Anyone have something that crosses their mind that scares them in some way on a deep level? Of course I expect the usual parade of nonsense that accompanies most threads, I'm guilty of contributing to that myself. Just looking for a little sincerity and introspection from a few people.

What honestly scares you?

The thought of my dick falling off scares the hell out of me.

ED

I'm 25 now, damn thing still pops up when its not supposed too.  But, damn, if you pay attention to the commercials, it looks like every man over 30 can't get a hard on.  Thats is just plain scary.

Quoted: The thought of my dick falling off scares the hell out of me.

I knew it was coming, just didn't think quite that quick. Best off luck to you and your dick.

Heights.

Kerry in the white house picking supreme court justices...

My wife passing away.

My Uncle

Actually, to me, my greatest fear is loosing control. Both over my own body and my freedom to choose. Death is just that to me, the end. But life, life can be a prison that one can feel desperation. And to me desperation would be a living hell.

God bless the USA and the sanctity of life. May it never change.

Quoted: My Uncle

why?

Quoted: How can anyone not be scared of death?

It's inevitable, which is something I can accept. If it's been the fate of every living creature before me, it's unreasonable to hold myself to a different standard.

Not looking forward to it, but also not affraid of it.

Quoted: My one life.

M4, we all have a spirit, created by God, that will live for eternity. Question is, will you accept Christ and spend that eternity with Him or without Him? That's the only question that really matters.

Kerry / Edwards -


Hillary Clinton and White House in the same sentence.

Tight shoes...

Facing a liberal jury after shooting someone in self-defense.

Quoted: How can anyone not be scared of death?

Avoiding it at all costs and being scared of it are two different things.


It comes to us all, just a matter of when and how !

Quoted: Heights.

Me also.

My biggest fear is being eaten alive and being conscious as I am having my guts chomped on by a shark or a bear. The thought of it makes my skin crawl!


Seriously, I am not so fearful of dying as I am of not dying. Of having a stroke or some other debilitating circumstance which renders me an invalid, in an institution wallowing in my own feces.. Much like the main character in Dalton Trumbo's novel Johnny Got His Gun. Metallica had asong about this book. I don't recall the song title.

Quoted: My biggest fear is being eaten alive and being conscious as I am having my guts chomped on by a shark or a bear. The thought of it makes my skin crawl! Seriously, I am not so fearful of dying as I am of not dying. Of having a stroke or some other debilitating circumstance which renders me an invalid, in an institution wallowing in my own feces.. Much like the main character in Dalton Trumbo's novel Johnny Got His Gun. Metallica had asong about this book. I don't recall the song title.

Plenty true -- more things worse than death in this world.

Room 101

Quoted: Much like the main character in Dalton Trumbo's novel Johnny Got His Gun. Metallica had asong about this book. I don't recall the song title.

One


Darkness imprisoning me
All that I see
absolute horror
I cannot live,
I cannot die
trapped in myself
body my holding cell

kniazeu.by.ru/music/metallica_one_mp3.html

Oh, and for me:  meeting my maker and coming up short.  All else is temporary.  

Frickin spiders.

Finding out 20 years from now that I was a bad father and husband...

CW

Little Girls. Specially between the age of 6 and 10. Seriously.

God.

Or on a more immediate level, the fact that one must now experience the riptide of career change. It is a given now that one must undergo a shift in employment on a major level more than  3 times. You cannot rely on the perception of job security, it doesn't exist in todays corporate world.

So all the things that are precariously hanging in the credit balance can in an instant be toppled leaving you with serious decisions. Food or bills. Food or medications.

I for the life of me cannot believe the way the current elderly are left out to dry. What the hell is going to happen to my age group of 40 somethings when it comes around to age 70?

Sobering in that many have built paper towers of 401k or stock. Watch out for the FIRE sale in the market.

Railgun....workin for less than a livin these days after McBoeing kicked me to da curb.

Oh yeah, and Hitlary, clowns, zombies, that little african doll from Trilogy of Terror....Oh wait, they're all the same....

Marsupials scare me....because they're FAST!

See below.

Quoted: Little Girls. Specially between the age of 6 and 10. Seriously.

??????????????

Being blinded scares me!  

Waking up in the morning only to find my ex in bed next to me.  

The fear of my wife losing her health, this summer they found some very small cancer tumors in one of her breasts, she is only 34...... I would never want to watch her suffer.

For myself it has always been the fear of being caputerd during combat, I don't think I would handle torture very well.

Quoted: Seriously, I am not so fearful of dying as I am of not dying. Of having a stroke or some other debilitating circumstance which renders me an invalid, in an institution wallowing in my own feces.. Much like the main character in Dalton Trumbo's novel Johnny Got His Gun. Metallica had asong about this book. I don't recall the song title.

I agree with that. I've witnessed it, and it is truly horrible. There's no way around it either. You can't put those who love you in a possition to end it for you, even though that's what you'd beg for...and you wouldn't be able to do it yourself. That is a very shitty set of circumstances to say the very least.

Quoted: The fear of my wife losing her health, this summer they found some very small cancer tumors in one of her breasts, she is only 34...... I would never want to watch her suffer. For myself it has always been the fear of being caputerd during combat, I don't think I would handle torture very well.

God bless your wife.  I hope everything turns out well.  

Helplessly watching something or someone I love suffer excruciating pain and agony for an extended period.  My mother spent more than 3 weeks in intensive care while hack doctors tortured her.  She finally was allowed to die in pease in a Hospice.  God only knows how much she suffered.  In over 50 years it was and still is the only time I ever saw my father cry. After more than two years it is still hard to think about.  Their family preacher had recently lost his own mom and broke down sobbing several times during his sermon at the memorial service.

I don't want to go through anything like that again.

Disability is about the only thing.

Pain can be managed, death is inevitable.

Heights don't bother me, I fear falling.

Getting electrocuted.  

Quoted: Room 101

+1

1984

Great book!

Having to watch anyone in my family be harmed or killed. I would rather die than see this. No matter if I was armed or not I would fight and die.

Quoted: The fear of my wife losing her health, this summer they found some very small cancer tumors in one of her breasts, she is only 34...... I would never want to watch her suffer. For myself it has always been the fear of being caputerd during combat, I don't think I would handle torture very well.

Both would rattle me to my core. I've thought of those who've been subjected to extereme torture & ultimate death, and honestly, that is absolutely terrifying. I don't think I'd handle it well either, and would never fault anyone for what they did or said as a result. Dying alone, after being tortured, in some far off place...just incredible to think of the fear that would go with that.

Being in a coma (or some other med prob) and not able to communicate with the outside world.   Inside my head, I can think, hear, feel, see, etc - as if my body is disconnected to my brain - brain works fine, just can't communicate with my body.

I've often wondered that about people - you see them staring off into space on a ventilator, IVs, etc.  What is going on in their heads?  Maybe nothing.  Or maybe everything.

Now that my wife has left me and ended our 28 year marriage over an internet affair she was having, not much scares me now.
Not much at all.

Not having a firearm when I need one.  That's some scary shit right there.

I also fear prostate exams, but on a smaller level. That just aint right for one man to do to another.

My greatest fear is of inane threads that ask foolish questions that have been asked about a thousand times before.


Zen
"This is my rifle, there are many like it, but this one is mine"  

My father-in-law has Alzheimers.  Genetically speaking, my wife may be more likely to be affected as well.  That scares the living shit out of me.

Oh, and on a lighter note, spiders.  But I have good reason after that brown recluse bite.

Woody

I have two things that I fear.  One is that something will happen to me before all of my kids become adults and they will not be raised as I want them to be.  The other is losing my health as I get older, especially my mental health.  My father had Alzheimer's and my mother has Parkinson's; I do not want to go through what they did/are going through.  I would prefer death over dementia.

Midgets and carnies!

Snakes and planes!