Childhood Fears

What scares you? Is it the same thing that rattled your cage when you are little?

This thought erupted in my mind the other night when I absentmindedly walked across a city grate.

As a rule, I do not walk across those sidewalk grids that show the darkness beneath the city streets. I don't exactly know why, all I know is I have been terrified of these grates ever since I was a little girl. To this day, my more mature 28 year old self will hopscotch or zig-zag my way to a path of least resistance, avoiding those revealing little panels that loosely cover the veins and bones of a vibrant city.

Forget the Seven Year Itch, I have no desire to reenact this classic Monroe scene. My childhood fears, however, have no problem with the classic number from Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend. Bonus points if real ice is involved.

I am also terrified by heights. I do well in airplanes and on the top of skyscrapers (thumbs up to Cincinnati's version of the Empire State Building: Carew Tower) but forget it where ladders and bridges are concerned. I once was doing a repelling course and freaked out at the top of a 60 foot wall. I was minutes away from needing a rescue. Luckily I pulled myself together and made it to the ladder, which was I was far more comfortable descending than I actually was the mock rock wall.

And here's a weird one for you: I am scared by "the country." It has something to do with being in a remote, isolated place with a sparse population and few commercial outlets. I don't know if I'm afraid I'll someday lose out on a limitless supply of Brie cheese or some other big store grocery find, whatever the case, I am terrified of spending too much time in a place that appears to be "in the middle of nowhere." I can do daytrips and maybe even weekend visits as long as the company keeps me occupied. Otherwise, you probably won't find me me more than 20 miles away from a Starbucks franchise. Gotta love that venti non-fat vanilla latte.

I don't know why these fears persist through my adult years, but they're definitely something I want to work on. I have tentative plans this summer to go skydiving with a friend... I'll be sure to wear a Depends on that one.