To me military life is one great adventure in overcoming fear. Maybe I seem pretty gutsy on your computer screen, but I’m a huge pansy when it comes to things like giant bugs, trying new things and scary imaginary scenarios that I convince myself could easily become reality (whether or not they actually could).
Overcoming fear has been the primary adventure of the last six months of my life. I used to be OK with being afraid. Not any more. When I was pregnant with my first son and my husband faced the prospect of not being there for his birth I simply said “well then I just will keep the baby in there.” Like that would’ve worked. But I chose to face this fear earlier this year when my second son was due and my husband had the option to do something great for his career by going to school right then, or to put it in jeopardy by waiting. I girded my loins (literally!) and took care of it. Done. Fear overcome.
Next was using the riding mower. And then the power drill. And then potty training my kid (because all the “what if’s” around my son not wearing a diaper make me extremely nervous). And then, just yesterday, picking up and taking care of a not-quite-dead-but-not-going-to-make-it-in-the-long-run wild bunny that my dog had just caught and fatally injured (Yes, I’m afraid of dead bunnies. Laugh if you like but I KNOW they have fleas. And yes, I’m also afraid of fleas).
It’s the little things.
The show “Friends,” which I love to quote in every situation possible, has a great couple of lines about fear from the character Joey Tribianni.
“Face your fear. You have a fear of heights? You go to the top of the building. You’re afraid of bugs? Get a bug! Jump off the high dive. Stare down the barrel of a gun. Pee into the wind!”
While I will not be getting a bug (that’s a fear I’m totally OK with maintaining), I love the sentiment behind this quote. Face your fear! Military life isn’t scary unless you let it be.
Pee into the wind!
About Amy Bushatz
Comments
I faced my fear of driving two days ALONE with my kids. I kept thinking leading up to that moment, "If I can fly half way around the world with a kid with the stomach flu, I can do this!" It felt so good when I finished that trip and now I have no fear of driving long distances with my kids.
I flew cross country alone with a 8 year old, a 5 year old, and a 8 month old!! I was so scared, I almost didn’t go visit my family but I’m so glad I did. Also, the baby slept!! Yippee!
I faced my fear of water (&drowning) by attending a training course for white water rafting guides, and later, SCUBA diving school.
yeah! Way to embrace it. :-)
BTW I stand by my statement that I'm OK with being afraid of bugs. I'm just not ever going to deal with that so don't try to trick me into doing it.
I wont ever be OK with bugs. I beg and plead to be stationed where there are less bugs than in the south.
I laughed so hard at your bunny comment! My husband "lives" two hours away from us at this point in time he comes home on the weekends. Inevitably, the crazy stuff happens while he is gone!
A few weeks ago our dog found an entire nest of itty-bitty-barely-in-the-world-sweet-fat-pink-bellied-bunnies. And murdered them. And then ate them. I think, anyway.
I was going to stop him, but I didn't want to because of the fleas too! I don't care how round their pink tummies were, they were sure to have fleas.
I did call my husband that night and, jokingly, let him know that I had yet another thing to add to my "You Owe Me Big Time" list!
After the fact, I always appreciate what the military has forced me to do, because so much of it I would never face by my own choice. It makes me a stronger, better wife and mom!