Driving through the Holland Tunnel
Jacqueline took this photo in 2009 as we whizzed through the Holland Tunnel. I had crossed into Manhattan a few days earlier on the George Washington Bridge and spent a long, tense time waiting in traffic, and had a full blown panic attack on the way across. This was after a *much* longer drive than expected thanks to road construction on Route 81 through Pennsylvania. We were HOURS behind schedule and to say I was cranky would be an understatement.
So we took the tunnel home instead of any of the bridges. Traffic was still unbelievable to me, and speeding through this tunnel only increased the anxiety & fear that had been building in me since we started getting stuck in traffic on the way down. For the next few years, my anxiety about driving in unfamiliar places only grew; bridges, curvy roads, roads with cliffs or steep drops on one side... all led to a rising panic that was very difficult to control.
But as the only driver in the family, a family that liked to go on road trips, I learned to push through this fear and just do it. And the more I did it, and did it successfully (no accidents! LOL!), the easier it became. This is important because some day I need to be brave enough to drive an RV over the Rockies!
But right now, here in this moment, I wish to find that same brave inside of me, the brave that allowed me to whiz through the Holland Tunnel shaking in my seat, but DOING IT, and use it to put myself out there, connect to other people via the telephone and in person and even online (although that's not so terrifying), so I can be successful, supporting Jacqueline & the kids, making them feel safe and secure, sharing my art with the world, showing others that they can do it too...
You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt on your blog and then add a direct link to your post in the box [at the link] below. Support wishes by visiting other participants, leaving a comment saying “As (insert name) wishes for her/himself, so I wish for her/him also.” It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together.
~ Jamie Ridler
When I was a kid I was afraid of riding in cars. So I created a horse and rider in my mind. They traveled along beside us keeping me safe. Of course this wouldn't be safe to do while driving. Nowadays I have a charm I hang in my car. It's a pentacle with bells hanging from it. When the bell rings I take that as a sign to be careful.
ReplyDeleteMay your wish be granted. Blessings, Love and Light to you.
I love Salem Witch Child's sharings - what a great idea!
ReplyDeleteAs you wish for yourself, so I wish for you also x
That's seriously brave of you!! I've been a life long anxiety sufferer so I know how hard it can be to push through when you need to or want to.
ReplyDeleteAs you wish for yourself I also wish for you.
I have always been anxious driving, but I do it anyway. So I wish you find the Brave back that you had driving through those Holland Tunnels. Lovely storey.
ReplyDeleteAs you wish for yourself, I also wish for you!
As you wish for yourself, so do I wish for you as well! I love the idea of finding the brave again.
ReplyDelete"connect" is my word for the year. It takes great bravery. As you wish for yourself, so I wish for you too!
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you so much for sharing this. One of the ways that I wish to be brave is in re-learning to drive. You're post is helping me believe that I can do it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea, to build on how you have already been brave in order to find bravery in the next step. I'm celebrating your brilliance along with your bravery.
As you wish for yourself, so I wish for you also.
As you wish for yourself, I wish for you too!
ReplyDelete