Facing My Fears

Growing up, my grandfather was the kind of guy that, the more he loved you, the more he picked on you.  During the first summer of married life, Dave and I went and spent a few days with my grandparents...who took us to Crater Lake.  It was a hot, late August day, we sat in the car with the windows rolled down and broke out the meat-filled sandwiches.  Within minutes the car was filled (okay maybe just three or four) with yellow jacket...which are on my top 2 list of things I fear.  If my hubby had not seen it before, he totally saw the entire "I am more stubborn than you" attitude as I left the car to go sit on a rock wall.  Outside where I could at least run and scream before being attacked....leaving my grandparents and my sandwich in the car.  We drove home with the windows up and the air on....Gramps beaming with pride at his feisty (I'm sure favorite) grand.

Last weekend, I left a really wonderful sheepdog trial in Roseburg to head to Cheney, Washington to see our son off on his college adventure.  Hubby and son drove ahead with the "stuff" filled Durango...and I was a few hours behind in the RV...filled with my "stuff" aka 6 border collies.  I ended up staying the night at an RV park....getting up early to finish the road trip.  I knew the dogs would need a good run before being cooped up for a few hours while we attended the get-to-know-you football bbq. 

As I drove through Cheney, I was on the look out for some wide open spaces. Room to let the girls run and take care of business.  On the outskirts of town I found an empty church that had a nice forest behind it....so we stopped.  The girls ran out, sniffing around and having some serious fun...Nell and Gyp ahead but not too far.  Nell turned and came running back towards me with a funny look on her face and big burs all over her body.  "What did you get into" was my first thought...and my second thought can not be put on this blog without serious R rating....because she was covered in pissed off yellow jackets that were burrowing in and hell bent on the kill.  Nell, smart as a whip, was running for the open RV door and the safety of her kennel...which of course would have compromised home base! 

For one fleeting second, I fantasized about driving off...and leaving the whole pack to fend...but then I put on those big girl panties I keep around for occasions such as this and got to business solving something that required me facing my fear.

With the help of a flannel shirt and dogs that trusted me, I was able to get most the yellow jackets off Nell and Gyp who were hit hardest.  Sally was attacked as the yellow jackets were swiped off Nell...and thank God, Grace, Bella, and Snook did not get but a sting or two and were good about going in the RV and waiting me out.  With the help of my husband, benadryl, Metacam, and Energy Edge....I waited to make sure no girl was going to have an anaphalactic reaction....and all was good in my world again. 

Afterwards...I have to say I feel more than fortunate.  It could have been so much worse. The RV could have been filled, a dog could have died, a dog could have run away in the chaos, and I could have got hit worse that the 4 stings I got on my little finger.  I also found out just a little bit more about myself and faced a fear all in the name of "love".  Facing my fear.....not something I sought out to do but it is amazing to come out on the other side a little bit stronger.

I really enjoy John Assaraf....he wrote a favorite book of mine called "The Answer". I also follow him on FaceBook as he sticks tickling thoughts out that I love to over think on.  Today he wrote: "

If you are interested in achieving something, you will do what is convenient and make up stories, reasons, excuses and delay in taking action . When you are committed to achieving something, you will do whatever it takes. No stories, no excuses, no delaying, no whining, just doing and moving forward, even when you make mistakes or fail."

 

Good stuff!  There are so many things in my life that I am "committed" to and then there are those other things that I am just sort of "interested" in.  Time to sort them out!  In the coming week, I am going to do an RDR giveaway......and the topic is going to be EXCUSES. The prize is going to be a good one...so be thinking up your favorite excuse (one you have used or one you have heard used).  I've got two sheepdog trials coming up and then I hit the dreaded lull...no Soldier Hollow, no Meeker, and looks like Sally and I didn't have "enough" to get into the finals.  No more kids at home....yikes. So I'll do a give away to create my own excitement.

 

Seize the day!