100 Things :: #44 I'm Afraid of Heights
100 Things :: 44) I’m afraid of heights.
There’s not much more to say about that. I am afraid of heights, I have to work myself up just to climb that ladder. Thankfully, Jeff does much of the work that requires a ladder. I think he does so, even when I can get myself in the right mindset to climb a ladder, because he doesn’t want me to fall in a fit of nervousness.
Oh! I am too! I wasn’t as a kid. I’d shimmy up this rickety ladder to my friend’s tree house. But in college I had to go up on some scaffolding to hang a tarp in my set construction requirement, and half way across the catwalk, I just lost control of my knees. It was awful, and I’ve had the yips about heights ever since. Even cleaning the gutters will get my belly doing flip flops. It’s an awful fear, isn’t it?
Me too Kathy, but funny…I didn’t used to be. I only realized it about 8 years ago when Mike and I worked on a Habitat for Humanity House and I had to get on the roof. I got there and froze. I had never done that before. Weird. Now he laughs at me, because I get on about the 4th rung of a ladder and my stomach does somersaults. He says it’s a wonder I can climb the stairs to the Giant Wooden House
I’m actually a climbing fool. I’m just afraid to come DOWN. Which makes the actual climbing a bad idea!
I’m a bit of a mountain goat myself. I just don’t like my Professor or children climbing!
For years I wouldn’t fly because of a bad experience…I’m still afraid of heights, and get panicky watching Stunts on TV…
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Congratulations on learning to knit…you will find it a relaxing hobby and will lead you into places you never thought of
Merry Christmas to you and your family! Ginny
I used to be a house painter, and worked on ladders all the time. Then I had a bad experience where I almost slid off a slippery roof in a sudden rainstorm. I wasn’t able to make myself go very high after that, and switched to indoor paper-hanging. It’s gotten worse since I’ve gotten older. I freaked out on the “Soaring” ride in Disneyworld. It’s a FAKE glider ride only a few feet off the floor, and I was frozen, clinging to the armrests, repeating, “It’s just a ride. It’s just a ride.” My family just about wet its collective self, trying not to laugh. My knees are too shot to go up ladders, so I don’t have to confront it often.