When fear is left behind.

It's an odd thing, but for some time now, I have just not been easily intimidated.

What brings this up is a matter that I can't go into for legal and ethical reasons, but suffice it to say, somebody tried to get all up in my face, and it didn't work. I just stood there, staring at the guy in disbelief at how foolish he looked.

At an earlier time in my life, any kind of confrontation would send me cowering into my self, turning and looking for cover. I even avoided the arguments of others, because the feeling of anger bothered me. Some people liked to bully me, just to see my reaction. Somewhere along the line, I lost that.

Which isn't to say that I've gotten brave. Heck, confrontation is still a last resort for me. Diplomacy and logical negotiation are still my preferred means of resolution. All I'm saying is that another person ranting and raving is more a source of bemusement for me than something to be feared.

Last summer, a very large man confronted me at my apartment door. He glared down at me and ranted and raved. He was hoping to get me to be afraid and say something stupid. Instead, I was just staring up at him, watching the veins in his neck, wondering if they would pop.

That's another thing. Size doesn't matter anymore. So a guy stands over six feet tall, and I'm only five foot three. All it means is that I'm staring up at him. Nothing confuses a big man more than a short, chubby (let's call a spade a spade, fat) man staring up at him without fear. It just doesn't make sense to them. It goes against all of their experience. Little guys like me are supposed to be afraid. It's the natural order of things.

Somewhere along the line, my mind gave up on that order. Now, when somebody comes at me with so much anger and irrationality, I go into amusement mode. People say the strangest (and dumbest) things when they are angry. In fact, if you let them go on long enough, they begin to realize just how foolish they look, and they back away. They may be yelling and cursing the whole time, but they are backing down.

Cast out fear. When you stop fearing others, you can see a situation for what it truly is. You might be afraid, but if you control that fear, and get beyond it, solutions present themselves. So does the generally insane nature of the universe we live in. Sometimes you just have to give in and laugh.

Nothing infuriates a bully more.