We have words for so many different things in the modern world, but there doesn’t seem to be enough words for the very specific types of fear I feel every day.
Why isn’t there a word for:
- the fear that comes when you realize you’re halfway through walking your dog and you haven’t brought a poop bag?
- the fear that comes as you look around the younger members of your family and realize they’re the ones who will organize your healthcare in years to come?
- the fear that when you read out the word “hyperbole”, you’ll say “hyper-bole”?
- the fear that you will be outlived by Betty White?
- the fear that you will die before Marvel are done with their superhero movies?
- the fear that comes with the realization that those whose politics you regard as ignorant and dangerous think exactly the same about your strongly held beliefs…so maybe you’re the moron?
- the fear of showing “the best movie from your childhood” to your adolescent child and knowing there’s a chance that both of you are going to hate it?
For the so-called language of Shakespeare, it’s really not trying hard enough in the area of words-to-do-with-fear. Could do better, English language.
Small Change on Strangers 