And what's the worst thing that could happen...

Charles Schulz cartoon of Charlie Brown and Lucy

I think Lucy from Peanuts cartoons would take the football away just precisely at the moment Charlie Brown was in mid kick.  I recall one cartoon character sliding down a banister, and mid way it turned into a razor blade.  And then there was Charlie Brown flying a kite, and it would always end up in a tree, no matter where he started.  For me here is my list:
Fear #1:   When the stewardess makes the comments about sitting over the wing and helping out others in case of an emergency, you know about the emergency slide and those windows that some one has to be nimble and quick about opening?  I am the person  worried about sitting there BY ACCIDENT, and blocking the road, so that no one can get out.  That is one of my nightmares.
#2:  For years I taught Ballet, and was responsible for unlocking the studio, having music ready, teaching little ones.  One of my fears is forgetting a class, and imagining the little 4 and 5 year olds, waiting at the locked door, in little ballet shoes and skirts, holding their Mommy's or Daddy's hand, looking questioningly into their parent's face with a tear rolling down their cheek asking, "Where is my teacher?  Aren't we going to have ballet class?"
#3:  I am going swimming into a pool with a shaky ladder.  I climb down into the pool, with high sides, the ladder breaks, and I cannot get out.  No one hears me call for help, I cannot pull myself out the steep sides.  I am stuck!
#4:  I  get down on the floor and I can't get up.  With a replacement knee, onto which I cannot put weight, and a bad back, a second knee that is in poor shape, it is hard to get off the floor without at least a chair to lean on.
#5: I am on the expressway, get a flat tire, and although cars zoom by, no one stops to help.
This actually happened to me.  I had two children in the car with me, and I was horrified, with the traffic rushing by, that I had no idea what to do.  I felt I needed to start to replace the flat,  and got out to check it.  One car stopped, and the young man showed me his license, and said, "I see you have family in the army.  I am an army recruiter, and we are family and stick together.  I will help you."  My son Jason had insisted I put "The Army of One" sticker on my bumper,  both he and Aaron are in the army.  While he was finding the spare and the jack, a big white CVS truck stopped, and put lights on to keep traffic away.  When he saw the army had taken care of us, he moved on.  The flat was fixed in no time.  I will never forget the kindness of that young man.


At a younger age I taught older students, and was a bit intimidated by that fact.  I also was timid about talking on the phone, or approaching people out side the classroom.  It just was an area of "improvised" or "unplanned" experiences, where I felt uncomfortable and would freeze.  Strange that in Ballet we often improvise movements, but that was also problematic,  with words doubly so.  I believe the best phrase I  tell myself in these circumstances, to move me to act, is "What's the worst thing that could happen, " play that out fully, and realize it was NOT so bad or scary after all!
(to be continued)