I am now officially the proud parent of a high school student. Now I know what you’re saying, it’s not like this is some enormous shock or surprise. I’ve seen it coming for a while now but ….. Really?!? Now?!? Already?!? Didn’t he just learn to tie his shoes last week? I mean you can’t really let him drive a car soon?…Can you?…Right?……*sigh*
Both my children a son who is 14, and a daughter who is 7, are fearless kids .Watching them grow up has been a rush. My son starting high school has made me thankful for my daughter’s playful 2nd grade activities. I’ve been thinking a lot about what it was like when I went to high school and all the exciting and sometimes dangerous situations and experiences I went through at that time. That in it self could explain the slight terror I feel being a parent to one. Especially one who is an adrenalin junkie like my father was, and still is. I myself was deprived of the adrenalin gene. I don’t even like to stand on a chair where as my son ,cannot WAIT till he is 16 so he can sky dive .Now before you tell me I am crazy to let him sky dive I will say this. I would bet that far more 16 year old boys die each year from sexting than die sky diving. I admire his zest for life and the guts he has to try those kinds of things.
All this has made me think back to when I was a sophomore in high school. My favorite teacher, Mr. Tobin had asked the class “Who in here thinks of themselves as an artist?” Shockingly, me the girl in the back wearing all black looking like what might happen if Cyndi Lauper and Ziggy Star Dust had a secret love child, raises my hand and say” I am.” He then proceeded to tell the class how he thought that being an artist took a lot of courage. Artist of all kinds put there heart and soul into a piece and put it all out there for the world to critique. I have to admit that this statement has really stuck with me through the years. I think the most daring thing I have done recently is wear my bathing suit to the beach. I have become a HUGE CHICKEN SHIT!!
Fear can rob you of so much. It is something that I have used as an excuse not to do new things. I certainly am not that brave artist that I use to be. I remember the first time my son signed up for the talent show at his school. My first instinct was to talk him out of it. What if you fail? What if the other kids made fun of him? My intension was to save him from embarrassment or heartache but at the same time I would be robbing him from the whole experience. The talent show turned out to be adorable of coarse and still has always been one of my favorite school shows to attend. My children have reminded me the joy you can fell at taking risks and trying new things. Now don't think I am going to go throwing my self out of a plane any time soon or bungee jumping the Grande Canyon. I am simply going to pursue my love of writing and even more importantly making people laugh.I am not sure what direction it will all take I just know this is where it will start. This blog is MY bungee jump, letting people into my world and opening it all up to you and your comments (please make comments, I’ll even accept a snide one here or there) I am challenging that inner critic . That fear of not just sucking at it but doing all in public. What have you let fear or judgments stop you from pursuing? What would you try if you thought know one was looking? What steps do you need take to do these things? Just take the first step! I dare you!
