Fear of the Unknown
Observations from a Gold Mine Adventure
My son has a fear of the dark. I found that out just recently during a family trip over fall break. We ventured to the San Diego area and ended the getaway by visiting Julian, a place up in the mountains an hour east of San Diego.
My husband and I had been to Julian once before, a long time ago before our son was born. We thought it’d be fun to return to. The quaint city is famous for their apple pies and has unique shops to browse. Who knows? Maybe we would even be able to spot some fall foliage.
Julian’s roots date back to the 1870’s gold rush. My son loves those National Geographic digging kits and has a collection of gems at home. So when I read online that a couple mining companies offered gold and gem mining for kids, I thought it’d be the perfect activity for our family to do. Unfortunately the one that initially caught my eye, Julian Mining Company, is only open on the weekends. But I found a smaller alternative.
Maybe they were anticipating a large group, but when we arrived at The Eagle Mining Co., they informed us that the pricing for a self-guided tour was a little cheaper. My husband and I like saving money and weren’t sure if our son would be able to bear through an hour-long, official tour. So off we went to explore the Old Hardrock Tunnels on our own.
We didn’t really see much while walking through the tunnels, but it was still a cool experience. During several spots, we encountered signs that said “LOW OVERHEAD” and had to duck our heads to pass through (not my son though!). Some areas were blocked off with a yellow CAUTION tape, warning us not to trespass.
As we walked a little deeper, my son suddenly told me, “I want to get out.” He didn’t want to continue. He wanted to go back the way we came from.
But we had already come this far. “We can’t go back,” my husband and I told him. In order to get out, we coaxed him, we had to move forward.
Walking through an old-fashioned gold mining tunnel was a novel experience for us. I thought of it as an adventure and was intrigued. My son, on the other hand, experienced it as a new terrain, an unknown territory that could possibly contain “hidden monsters.”
It’s not as though it was completely dark down there. We weren’t three blind mice stumbling down the path. There were lights strung on one side of the tunnel, guiding us the way out.
It also wasn’t a haunted tunnel. There weren’t scary things deliberately popping out at us. Spooky music wasn’t playing in the background.
And yet, my son was afraid.
My son’s irrational fear reminded me of anxiety. Sometimes we conjure up worries in our head that often never come true. In order to get over fear and move forward, it often helps to not feel alone.
It can be reassuring to know that someone is walking by your side, especially if that someone is wiser than you. My son had us, his parents, physically present with him. I have parents, too, but when I experience fear, I rely on my faith that Jesus is walking by my side even if I can’t physically see him. He always seems to provide the comfort and guidance I need.
I’m sure my son felt a sense of relief when he saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Light is the antithesis to dark and feels safer.
Afterwards, we had the opportunity to learn how to pan for gold. Panning for gold is harder than I thought. My husband and son stood on opposite ends of a wooden water trough, my husband attempting to guide my son through the process. They scooped up some water and debris in a black pan and swirled it back and forth. “Remember, the key with this is repetition,” my husband told him. “You do the same thing over and over again.”
My son, eager to find gold, tried to do it quickly. My husband corrected him and emphasized that it’s a slow process. “So mining for gold seems boring? Well, that’s because it is.”
My son learned to shake the pan in a steady rhythm. At the very end, they had to maneuver carefully to be able to discard just the sand. They did find gold, but only tiny specks of it. It didn’t matter to my son that the result was so tiny. “I found gold!” he excitedly proclaimed.
Doesn’t that remind you of life? In order to obtain something valuable, consistency is key. The process of accomplishing something can take a long time and often requires perseverance. But by sticking with the process, you develop the character of patience.
A lot of beneficial activities that require repetition can be boring - work, mundane chores, exercise, meal planning/prepping, brushing your teeth, practicing a craft or hobby . . . Sometimes people even find taking care of a baby boring. Sometimes reading the Bible is boring, but I know it’s important for me to do because that’s often how God talks to me.
Routine can feel monotonous but also breeds a comfortable familiarity. Could this be an antidote to the fear of the unknown future?
Speaking of an unknown future, it’s currently election season. Don’t forget to vote.