intimacy and fear

Jordon has an excellent post on some of Henri Nouwen's writing on intimacy and fear. Head over there for the full text. Here is a snippet:

My own experience with people who I fear offers plenty of examples. Often I avoid them: I leave the house, move to a corner where I can remain unnoticed, or express myself in flat, non-committal sentences. Sometimes I create a false closeness with them. I talk too long with them, laugh too loudly at their jokes, or agree too soon with their opinions. Whether I create too much distance or too much closeness, I always sense a lack of inner freedom and a resentment toward the power they have over me.