Overcoming Fear

I am petrified of worms! I am talking about a real fear here. It probably stems back to me being a child and my brother (who is 8 years older) use to love to chase me around and throw them at me. I can't stand the sight of them. Well about 3 weeks ago Chris and I were taking Emily for a walk around our neighborhood. I was pushing the carriage and I was a couple of walking steps ahead (I have short legs so me being a few steps ahead might equal a foot if I am lucky). All-of-a-sudden Chris yells "WOOHHH!!!!" and jumps up in the air. I look back.....THERE WAS A SNAKE GOING THROUGH HIS LEGS!!!! Well to me snake=big worm!! I screamed and ran (with the carriage) like an Olympic Sprint Runner down to the end of our street---crying all the way!!!!! Chris came down to the end of the street, where I must have cried for a good 5 minutes telling him 1. I am not walking back to the house! 2. He was going to have to go and get the car to pick me up! and 3. I want to move back to the city! I was so hysterical that neighbors across the street from where I was standing came out to see what was going on. After the snake was away from where we had been walking Chris reluctantly got me to walk back home. I have NOT been on a walk through our neighborhood since.

That was until yesterday. Chris came home from work and told me we were going for a walk with Emily. I told him to have fun with Emily but I wasn't going. After some "talking" back and forth I went. I didn't want to go. Chris felt it was important at this point for me to face my fears and do it. He told me "We are going to do it together" and with that I walked down to the scary spot where the snake had been (3 weeks before--do you think he was waiting for me?). Chris allowed me to hold on to his arm with a death grip. I stopped a few times and told him I was all set and didn't want to go and further. He persisted we keep going. In the end, I did take our neighborhood walk---2 times!!! The first time I was scare, holding on to Chris as he tried to distract me with conversation (it didn't work) and the second time I was very relaxed, pushing the carriage, talking and laughing. I am glad he made me do it...I am even more thankful that he took the time (and patience) to do it with me--together. Some people would have just said "get over it". But not him. I guess that is why I feel like the most blessed woman in the world to have such a great man like him.

Today is the anniversary of the day we started officially dating 18 years ago. I love this man!!