81.366 Self Inflicted
There are only 2 things in life that I am truly afraid of...and when I say afraid, I'm not talking about phobias or dislikes, I am talking about an actually physical reaction to a situation that renders me petrified.
1) The pitch black. The type of darkness that you cannot see your hand in front of your face.
2) Water above my neck. I can't swim, I have lost count over the years of the amount of people who have tried to aid me by teaching me how to swim. I do not put water on my face, instead I tip my head back in the shower. When I was baptised in Church, it was the first time I had been under water in my life (aged 24).
Mostly in life, I tend to live around avoiding situations where I would ever have to face these fears. It's not hard either, if I sleep somewhere unknown I take a glow stick, and generally I am never in a position where I find myself immersed in water.
On Saturday, after a DIY day at home, Damian and I decided to go foraging for blackberries to make chutney with. The time is perfect now to harvest the fruits that are out, any longer and they will begin to go mushy.
I had seen a whole host of fruit earlier in the week and convinced Damian (in the manner of Eve) to go to the river bank to find it there. We meandered past so many brambles and when we got to the area, it is currently cordoned off which means people can't go into that part, but I ignored this and went in anyway.
After moving about on the bank I decided to walk along the plank of wood making the rivers edge to cross to the next area. And that is when the wood gave way beneath me. All I remember next is the feeling of water rushing up towards me, and me going lower and lower screaming for Damian. I had presence of mind enough to wrap part of a young tree branch around my hand to save myself.
I was absolutely terrified, to the point where I couldn't move. The post the plank had been fixed to was still solid and I wrapped myself around it unable to move. Whilst Damian got busy looking for footholds, I got busy praying to Jesus for a rescue.
Miraculously I did manage to heave myself half up out of the water (very heavy walking boots by this point). Just as I lay face down, Damian grabbed the back of my jeans and pulled me out.
Full of mud, nettle welts and bramble lacerations, it was painful and dirty, but definitely a lesson learned!
81.366 Self Inflicted
There are only 2 things in life that I am truly afraid of...and when I say afraid, I'm not talking about phobias or dislikes, I am talking about an actually physical reaction to a situation that renders me petrified.
1) The pitch black. The type of darkness that you cannot see your hand in front of your face.
2) Water above my neck. I can't swim, I have lost count over the years of the amount of people who have tried to aid me by teaching me how to swim. I do not put water on my face, instead I tip my head back in the shower. When I was baptised in Church, it was the first time I had been under water in my life (aged 24).
Mostly in life, I tend to live around avoiding situations where I would ever have to face these fears. It's not hard either, if I sleep somewhere unknown I take a glow stick, and generally I am never in a position where I find myself immersed in water.
On Saturday, after a DIY day at home, Damian and I decided to go foraging for blackberries to make chutney with. The time is perfect now to harvest the fruits that are out, any longer and they will begin to go mushy.
I had seen a whole host of fruit earlier in the week and convinced Damian (in the manner of Eve) to go to the river bank to find it there. We meandered past so many brambles and when we got to the area, it is currently cordoned off which means people can't go into that part, but I ignored this and went in anyway.
After moving about on the bank I decided to walk along the plank of wood making the rivers edge to cross to the next area. And that is when the wood gave way beneath me. All I remember next is the feeling of water rushing up towards me, and me going lower and lower screaming for Damian. I had presence of mind enough to wrap part of a young tree branch around my hand to save myself.
I was absolutely terrified, to the point where I couldn't move. The post the plank had been fixed to was still solid and I wrapped myself around it unable to move. Whilst Damian got busy looking for footholds, I got busy praying to Jesus for a rescue.
Miraculously I did manage to heave myself half up out of the water (very heavy walking boots by this point). Just as I lay face down, Damian grabbed the back of my jeans and pulled me out.
Full of mud, nettle welts and bramble lacerations, it was painful and dirty, but definitely a lesson learned!