Death Bear

"I must not fear.

Fear is the mind-killer.

Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.

I will face my fear.

I will permit it to pass over me and through me.

And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.

Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.

Only I will remain."

- Bene Gesserit "Litany Against Fear" from Frank Herbert's "Dune"

We fear emotional pain more than anything else brewed in the nightmare world buried deep within the heart of dreams. This pain can take many forms, from the loss of a child to the fear of death. How many of us are able to face our fear? Like a knight at the end of the journey, can we place the pieces upon the board and still maintain the focus needed to endure beyond hopelessness?

Death Bear is available for the lovelorn

How we deal with a relationship that has met its end is another exercise in dealing with our fear. For those who need a little help, Death Bear is there, free of charge. You won't need a pay day loan for his services. Nate Hill, a 32-year-old Brooklyn performance artist, will dress as Death Bear, come to your home and take away most all that your former lover leaves behind. The broken heart remains, of course. Even Valentine's Day can't heal that. We must suffer and we must persevere.

Death Bear's mission statement

Straight from Death Bear's Web site:

"We all have someone or something we would rather just forget. Things fall apart. Love hurts. Dreams die. But when you summon Death Bear to your door, you can rest assured that help has come.

"Death Bear will take things from you that trigger painful memories and stow them away in his cave where they will remain forever, allowing you to move on with your life. Give him an ex's clothes, old photos, mementos, letters, etc. Death Bear is here to assist you in your time of tragedy, heartbreak and loss."

Interestingly, Hill told "Today" that he holds on to much of what he takes.

Why is it easier for us to give up part of ourselves to an anonymous Death Bear?

A seven-foot cartoon character in black, Death Bear treats his customers with great politeness. Letting go of material objects to Death Bear is mostly symbolic, but I think the fact that people do not see the face of another human being in the transaction girds the heart. It keeps the dam from bursting, keeps the caravan of loss from carving a path through the lines of years. Or it could be that a cartoon bear keeps it from hurting.

Occupy yourself

Death Bear has his role, but the real work rests upon those left behind. Be good to yourself after a breakup � within reason. Don't shut out your friends and don't shut yourself in your cave for too long. Go outside, avoid self-destructive behaviors and remember that you are valuable. Your pay day loan blogger has told himself that before, and the inner eye continues to follow the path of my being.