Balance is the key to life. At least that’s what my daughter said when she was giving a speech at a younger age. And not just speaking like you or I might, but while doing a handstand — with a small microphone attached so she could provide all the details she was trying to get across to people she’d never met before while she was up on a stage.

I couldn’t do such a thing in a million years, even if I had to. Speaking in public is not one of those activities that comes easily to lots of people. But it seemed no big deal to her. And most of all, it was because she had no fear. It was similar to when, at a much earlier age, they told her to climb a rope attached to ceiling of her gym in Salisbury, and she promptly went all the way to the top, and then scurried back down like it was no big deal. She never missed a beat and went on about whatever activity was next.

I’d be scared to death to try either one of those endeavors, at any age. Maybe you’ve heard, we supposedly have nothing to fear but fear itself. But fear is good for you sometimes too. At least I think it is, say when bears are around. Or if you’re walking along some city’s streets at night, or through the woods after dark, without a flashlight … barefoot.

Fear raises its ugly head in different ways for folks. You might be afraid of snakes or spiders, while others walk by and pick them up barehanded without a second thought.

But you can’t let it paralyze you or keep you from trying things that maybe aren’t quite in your normal range of possibilities.

Plenty of people fear the future and worry about the economy turning sour.

So when you hear things about gas prices going up, or the costs of fertilizer skyrocketing for farmers as staff writer Brian Dlugosz detailed in a story this past week, just realize that, yes,  many things are going to be more expensive than they were. But they’re also not likely to stay that way forever, and there will be some slowdowns in the economy like there always are after times of prosperity. But there will be light at the end of such tunnels. And how your own situation works out doesn’t always follow exactly how the rest of the world fares. You may be one of the lucky ones who can skate through any troubled waters ahead with a new job or better situation right where you are now — just like sometimes people lose a good position when the overall economy is doing fine.

We’ve all got our own fears to deal with, so try your best to carry on without letting yours take too much of a hold on you. If you can help ease someone else’s fears, that’s a blessing too. And if you’re a father, like I am, enjoy the festivities of this day by remembering back on some of those adventures of the kids when they were younger a didn’t mind climbing to much higher heights than you could ever  imagine them doing.

Paris Goodnight is editor of the Salisbury Post.