I've always been afraid of the dark. Not complete darkness, but the kind where you can't see around the corner. Especially closed spaces, stairs down, no windows.

We have a basement in our house. Narrow, with one light bulb that flickers. And every time I felt sick at the thought of having to go down there.

I avoided it for years. I didn't even allow myself to think about it. And then one evening - without drama, without preparation - I just got up and went. Slowly, creaking, but without stopping.

The steps were cold. It smelled damp. The lamp was flickering. And I walked and counted to myself: "one, two, three..." and so on up to fifteen.

And there, below, I found nothing. No fear. No monster. No panic. Just walls. And a feeling that I had become a little stronger.

We don't have to jump off the roof to be brave. Sometimes it's enough to turn on the light in what you've been afraid of for 10 years.

Now I know: I can. Simply because I decided.