"Don't go in the deep end, you'll drown."
"Put that stick down. You'll poke your eye out."
"Hold on! Hold on! You'll fall out and break your neck."
"Fly there? The plane could crash."
"Don't go near the edge. You'll fall off."
With my mom it wasn't a possibility that something awful would happen. It was a certainty. I did eventually learn how to swim but not very good. At least good enough I won't drown. And I have no fear of poking out my eye when I'm cleaning up the yard. I love a roller coaster ride as long as it doesn't turn upside down. Hmm...guess falling out is a fear. I have no fear of heights, and I've taken dozens of plane trips. Do have to admit I don't enjoy flying, but as I've aged my attitude about my demise is less scary. So I try to sit back and not worry.
I do have one lingering fear, and I can't pin it on anything my mother told me or warned me about. I'm claustrophobic. In fact, Mom says even as a child I didn't like doing the cave visits. I would clutch her hand and ask when would we be done. I didn't realize this as an adult until on a trip with my husband years ago. We were on a tour of the Oregon Caves. The deeper we went the more anxious I got until fear gripped me so hard I couldn't breath. I turned around and ran with Frank on my heels. I got to the gate and it was locked. Panic. I collapsed on the ground and clung to it. Frank had to retrace his steps and find the group that was now even deeper. The guide radioed outside and they rescued me. I've tried to reason myself out of this fear but it's useless. I just avoid anything without windows now.
A bit about me:
Although I didn’t
start out to write romance, I’ve found all good stories have to involve
complicated human relationships. I’ve also learned, no matter a person’s age, a
new discovery is right around every corner. Whether humorous or serious,
straight contemporary or mystery, all my books revolve around those two facts.
Visit
Brenda at www.brendawhiteside.com.
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blogs on the 9th and 24th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com
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blogs about prairie life and writing at http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/
14 comments:
I've been in those caves several times. I grew up forty-five minutes from Cave Junction! Me, I don't like standing on the edge of a cliff, building, whatever, unless there's a rail. If I can hold onto something, I'm good!
Hi Jannine. That's how my husband is. So I go high and he goes down under. LOL
I learn yet another thing about you that I didn't know. The cave incident sounds scary.
I think we all have our fears. Some of us have more than others. I fear bugs, flying or crawling--the bugs, not me. Great post.
Your Mom must have known mine. Same warnings. Although I am not that severe I do hate closed in places and avoid them.
I also grew up with all these warnings and I'm also claustrophobic. However that came from my sibs rolling me up in a rug and leaving me. Can't stand to have my arms pinned. I go bananas.
Same here - those maternal warnings. I think the words are smothering, as I also don't care for tight places! But yes, new discoveries are around every corner, and one I've made is that I can have fears, but that doesn't mean I have to let my fears have me. (smile)
Sounds like a lot of moms of the former generation went to the same school of mothering. LOL With my son, I went totally the opposite. That got me a daredevil who feared nothing and had me scared most of my life. Still I kept my mouth shut. He's thanked me since he's grown. Now I get to see how he'll do it with his daughter. She's 7 months old and so far he's one nervous pervous!
Yup, Barbara, I heard the same warnings. I didn't grow up claustrophobic, but I hate heights unless I'm indoors. I had no trouble with going to the top of the Twin Towers before they were destroyed, but the Grand Canyon causes me to break out in a drenching sweat. Not all lessons come from our mothers. Some come from within. Great post.
Hi Betsy. Definitely some from within. I know my claustrophobia is all mine.
My mother said all those things too. I tried so hard not to with my own kids, but probably did. Now they have kids of their own and the 'paybacks' are interesting.
So true, Margo!
Yes, I guess that's a pretty common 'Mom' thing. I think I warned my kids about certain things, but not to the extent my mom warned us. My kids have a few odd fears, but from the time they were small, they LOVED scary movies, and I let them watch them at probably a much too young age. But I figured if it didn't bother them, why not? And they grew up well-adjusted, for the most part. :-)
Then you did good, Alicia.
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