fear – The Lisa Chronicles

camel

I was driving home from work today and thought to myself, the water slide wasn’t the first (or second or third) time I did something that terrified me. I rode a camel. Yes, you heard me correctly, a camel.

I was in Israel on my JWRP trip in June 2012. Our day started off at Masada. After that was time to put on some dead sea mud and float for a while. Nice and relaxed from floating in the dead sea and now we were on our way to Genesis Land in the desert. camel1 To meet our forefather Abraham and Sarah for a meal in their tent in the dessert. But not before we had a camel riding experience. Oh yes, I said camel riding.

We were almost 200 women on this trip and everyone started to scramble to find someone to go on the camel with. I was not having any part of the camel experience. All I had to see was how they actually stand up and sit down while you were on their backs and I couldn’t see myself getting on (or off) a camel.

abe1 I watched as my friends and trip mates got on, went on their rides and came back. I took all their photos and everyone kept saying, you are next. Ah, yeah, I don’t think so. Wait, time for lunch, great – saved by the lunch bell. Whoever didn’t have a chance before lunch will get a chance after, great, not saved just yet.

After we ate the rest of the group had their chance to ride. Everyone said to me, you will go home and wish you had ridden the camel and then the chance will be gone. A really nice (and very fit) sister I met from the Montreal group said she would go with me. What the heck, when in the dessert…ride a camel.

Someone had my camera and there are many undesirable photos of me getting on, trying to stay on and going on my camel ride. I did not like at all. They smell, they snort and they are really not the nicest of animals. We almost went off the side of the road as well.

When it was over everyone asked if I was happy I did it. I am once again drawn to the water slide experience and the lessons I learned. This group of women were all experiencing a abe life changing experience. We all share that in common and there was a safety in numbers and in sisterhood. Funny thing is that I never did see or hear from the Montreal woman again after the trip. But for that short period of time she was sitting in front of me on the camel and made me feel safe and comfortable doing something totally out of my comfort zone. I will always remember that.

camel4

water

People are different on vacation. Everything about your day to day life changes. It is a wonderful thing. I never take that for granted. I know that I enjoy sleeping in, eating when I and whatever I want, chatting with new people and more importantly, having experiences that take me out of my comfort zone and help me grow.

I had once such moment on my cruise this past October. It wasn’t exactly my shining moment in the sun, which also made me tell my friends that this experience will never leave the ship. Well, guess what, it has and it will today in this post. It was mortifying while it was happening, almost brought me to tears (who am I kidding did bring me to tears) but now I am over it and it is hilariously funny.

I don’t remember ever going down a water slide. I mean, not just recently, but ever. I have always been a bigger person and the thought of not being able to get all the way down the slide was something I would never want to attempt.

There was a slide on the cruise I was on. It wasn’t a big slide by any stretch, but for the first few days I watched my friends go down and they had a great time. They kept asking me and I kept saying no thank you.

I must have had a few too many mango margaritas but I finally said yes. There we were, four grown adults waiting on the stairs mixed in with a whole bunch of much younger little kids. Up to the top I went, waiting and froze. I had no idea what to do. Sit down, give a push and go. Seemed simple enough. Held on to the bar and pushed and away I went.

I had no idea what to do. I was sitting up and that wasn’t really working so I laid down on my back. The water was rushing down my face and it was so relaxing. Yes, until I realized that the slide was not that big and why was it taking so long to get to the bottom. Well….you had to BE MOVING to get to the bottom.

Yes, there I was in the middle of the slide enjoying the water rushing down my face, but that was about it. I sat up and all my friends were yelling at me from the top. Mortified – hell yes! Not at the bottom but somewhere in the middle of this not very big slide.

Somehow got to the bottom and then my friends followed. Laughing hysterically at my situation. I, on the other hand, didn’t see the humour in the experience. It was my nightmare coming to reality. After I told my friends we will never discuss this again, I thought to myself that I shouldn’t be embarrassed I should be proud of myself for doing something that scared me.

Lessons learned:

I will probably never go on a water slide again. Been there, done that, check.
Being with your friends and people you trust makes it okay. You are safe.
It is okay to try something and not like it.
Your comfort zone does have boundaries, but it is okay to step outside of the lines. You may even enjoy it, or not, but either way you will be just fine.

I wonder what I will attempt on my next adventure. Stay tuned to find out.

Live your best life,

Lisa