Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Anniversaries and Phobias

I read this yesterday in a "Smart Marriages" email:

Clarence, 101, and Mayme Vail, 99, celebrated their 83rd anniversary Sunday, possibly making them the longest married couple alive in the United States.

Wow! I can only hope as much for myself. Isn't that incredible?
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I was watching Good Morning America this morning. They are doing a segment right now in which each of the people on the show is confronting a fear he or she has. Robin Roberts already did hers. I think they went easy on her since she is recovering from cancer surgery and chemo. But hers was appearing in a fashion show. Today Chris Cuomo faced his fear of heights. He jumped from a 50+ story building in Atlantic City. Of course he had cables attached to him, etc. But as he was being urged by the stunt director to push himself off the ledge of the building, I could feel exactly what he was feeling. His fingers were holding onto the concrete lip of the building -- and he did not want to let go. My body was tensing up just watching him.

I don't fear heights like being on a roof or in an airplane. But standing on the edge of a cliff or at the top of a building gives me the willies. As a result of Tim McGraw's song, "Live Like You Are Dying " -- I have challenged myself in some ways to things I would not normally do. A couple of years ago, I did the bungie chair thing. And I NEARLY went skydiving with my boys last summer. I know, nearly doesn't count. But for me to have even considered it is a big step.

I think my only other phobia is rats and mice. They creep me out.

3 comments:

Bonniebeewester said...

edaqI saw Chris jump this morning as well. I found myself cringing as he scooted toward the edge and sighing with relief when he finally made it to the ground.

I'm sure his last thought right before he went over the ledge was "the things we do for ratings..."

Rick Ross said...

Bonnie,

I was thinking the same thing!

Anonymous said...

I don't much like heights; however, airplane travel doesn't bother me except for landing and taking off. I can offer counseling for rodents - after seeing what a high velocity varmint rifle does to their bigger cousins, they cease to be too terribly frightening.