I've been thinking a lot about fear lately, and how much of it is a figment of our imaginations and how much is justifiable.
When I went flying with Bryan last week I was struck with fear the moment we took off from the runway, but like I said, after a few deep breaths I was fine.
I guess I should admit that I'm afraid of a lot of things. Spiders, snakes, the dark, dying, bridges, etc. The list goes on for miles. It's my least favorite thing about myself, because it often keeps me from having fun.
So today I was at the pool with Emma, and she asked me if I wanted to go down the slide after her. (This kid seriously has NO fear. It scares me. haha.) My immediate response was "Not even. No way." (I seriously get sick to my stomach while swinging at the playground.) But she said something really funny: "Pleasey cheesey? I promise I'll be nice to you the rest of the day, and I won't even talk back." And well, we were having a day together, her and I. She was in time out so many times this morning that I lost count, so I thought about it for a second and decided what the hell, it's worth a shot, n'est-ce pas?
I tried it. It was scary. The water was moving very quickly, and just when I would think I was ok, it would make a sharp turn, and there was a brief moment when I considered crying, but hey! I'm alive! And my daughter was nice to me the rest of the day!
So that makes two scary things in one week, and I have to say it's a little bit exhilarating when it's all over with. I'm inspired to try new things instead of letting my worries get the best of me.
Any advice? What are you afraid of?