F is for Fear
A short list of things I am afraid of (in no particular order):
- Stair steps
- The dark
- Car accidents
- Scorpions
- Heights
- Under the bed
- Being abandoned
- Success
- Ridicule
- Half closed doors
- Conflict
- Ice and snow
- Guilt
- Pain
- Anesthesia
- Fame
- Fire
- Cancer
- Alzheimers
- Hell
- Forgetting
- Remembering
Reading this list, you’d think I lived in a fireproof Ranch with no doors and extra fire extinguishers and high powered lamps.
But other than few extreme phobias, I live a relatively sedate life–even without the help of pharmaceuticals.
Some fears are irrational and some can be traced back to a real events. I had a scorpion infestation in my house in Atlanta. Therefore, I don’t care to cohabitate again.
I have been in seven car accidents–many on ice and snow (but never while I was driving. I have always been the passenger.)
I have been known to drug myself with Tylenol PM on New Year’s Day so my husband can drive us home from Michigan without my corresponding anxiety attack.
I didn’t used to be afraid of heights until I had children. But I don’t know why.
The funny thing about fear is that it can’t be rationalized away. I know I shouldn’t be afraid of silly things like half closed doors or guilt trips. But as I walk near the railing, where I can see down over the edge, my knees get weak and I can’t step closer.
Fear results in worry. I used to live in a Ranch house (complete with scorpions) but since moving into a two story house (with stairs), I go to bed every night mentally rehearsing how to get my family out of the house if it caught fire. Today is the 6th anniversary since our move to Ohio, which means I have worried about this for nearly six years now–every night.
But at least there are no scorpions in Ohio.
What is the craziest thing you are afraid of?
Tomorrow’s post is on Gifts.
Fellow A to Z’er stopping by. Today I wrote about Fun and you wrote about Fear. Just proves that given the same topic, no two people will write the same. I believe we all have fears. I’m not sure that I’ve ever written them down. If I had to, though, I’m sure we would have similar lists – fire, Alzheimer’s, cancer, being abandoned – certainly would be there. Oh, and anesthesia for sure!
I love your site and as I browsed your blog I decided to award you the Powerful Woman Writer Award.
Go to http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/p/awards.html and pick up your award.
~Deirdra
Oh, my goodness–I would have freaked out about scorpions if I’d had an infestation. I’ve had a lot of bug infestations, and mice (but I don’t fear mice–they drive me crazy).
I used to be terrified of escalators when I was younger, but I rationalize it away and make myself go down and up them. I find that avoiding my phobias make them worse in my mind.
I also am afraid of heights, deep water and needles.
Birds (or, as I prefer to think of the “rats with wings”). There’s a long (and kind of funny story behind that, but walkikng through an aviary gives me the screaming meemies.