Turn off the Fire.

It was mango season, and I realized I was the only one in my neighborhood not selling mangoes that year. My friend Sandra had two trays out for sale every day. Later, I was let in on the secret. The mangoes were from a nearby farm, and if I was willing to wake up early in the morning, I could go with them.

When I heard the quiet knock on my bedroom window at 3 am, I knew it was time. I walked quietly through the back door and quickly joined my friends. At age 14, it was my first time being out that early. Soon, we arrived at a fenced farm. One after the other, we supported each other over the fence, aiding the last person. Once on the farm, we quickly aimed at the mangoes with sticks, filled our baskets, and made our way home the same way we came, supporting each other over the fence.

Business began to boom for me as well. We all became mango sellers, selling and enjoying our hard-earned fruits. Unbeknownst to us, the farmer was upset and decided to wait for the thieves.

The next day, we arrived as usual, as we were about to start, we heard a loud noise. I turned and saw the owner approaching with a machete. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. When I got to the fence, the next thing I knew, I was home. I had scaled the fence that I needed help with in the past.

For years, I always looked at that fence on my way to school and wondered how I had scaled it when I was not good at long jumps. Years later, I figured it out.

My brain sensed the threat, prompting my adrenal glands to release a surge of hormones called adrenaline and cortisol. The adrenaline caused an increased heart rate, pumping me with energy. In contrast, cortisol, the stress hormone, increased glucose and slowed down other non-essential functions (e.g., the growth and digestive system), giving me the help I needed to survive. This response is also known as the fight-or-flight response. Once I got home, cortisol and adrenaline levels dropped, and all other functions returned to normal. The fight-or-flight response or "fire" as I call it was turned off.

Apart from danger, stress can also trigger the fight-or-flight reaction and keep it permanently on if the underlying stressors are not properly managed. This can lead to physical and mental health challenges like heart disease, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and weight gain. Therefore, managing stress is essential for one's physical and mental well-being.

Setting aside time for relaxation is one of the ways to manage stress. This can include listening to music, exercising, journaling about what you are thankful for, laughter, and maintaining a healthy diet. Most importantly, dealing with the underlying cause of that stress is important as we need to turn off that fire.