I’m here at the Cape with two of my favorite guys, including Charles, the young man who turned twelve last Saturday.
Part of his birthday celebration was out first parasailing outing – and his dad made the plans for this great adventure without a whole lot of input from the kid!
Now, when I was his age and, for that matter, throughout my life, I have not been exactly adventurous. As a kid, I balked at jumping off the dock into the waters of Lake Shawnee and the arms of my father waiting in the water. When I was doing a program that included a ropes course, it was all I could do to rappel down a cliff, in spite of the totally redundant safety equipment. And last Saturday, when I agreed to the parasailing thing I was asking myself, “Pat, what are you thinking?”
As things turned out, I had to double up with Charles for this little birthday adventure. As we were strapped in waiting for the crew to let out the rope for our take off, he decided he did not want to do this. The captain was great with all of the kids and teens on the trip, and he got Charles to agree to go out for the first twenty feet. If he didn’t want to continue, they’d pull us back in.
Fair enough.
We got out the twenty or so feet, and I thought he was fine with it, so I gave the captain the thumbs up and, whoosh! It was up, up and away!
And Charles was pissed! He was not really OK with this at all! But as we floated several hundred feet above the water, there wasn’t much to do except try to get him to understand he was not in any danger. And wow! Look at the view! 
As the boat got smaller and smaller, he wasn’t having any part of my attempts to reassure him. Even after we landed safely and later that evening when we eating birthday cake, he wasn’t really over it.
“But, Charles,” I asked, “Aren’t you glad now that you actually did the sail? You can show your friends the pictures when you get home!”
No.
The good part of this whole thing was that, while I was at least as reluctant as Charles to go up, his fear made me forget my own. Trying to convince him that it was really fun convinced me!
Then, the next day, he told his father and I that he wanted to go parasailing again. And on our second outing, he went up twice – once with his dad and once with me. And this time, he loved every minute of the ride!
And I started to think about all of the things in life I was afraid to do and just did – leaving home to move to New York, taking a job in Washington that was way over my head, getting my real estate license, and looking for a book publisher.
Oh! And did I include buying my first place? So what did I learn about this experience that I could apply to my real estate practice?
- If you push people into doing something they are not ready to do, they will get pissed off at you.
- If, later, they agree that it was a good idea, they’ll love you for it.
- Lots of things are scary the first time you do them, including buying a first place and taking your first parasail ride.
I am laughing so hard! I would have loved to have been along for the FIRST ride while he was pissed and NOT liking it all! Way too funny!!! But, you are so spot on with the lessons learned. I really enjoyed this post - thanks for bringing it full circle!
Pat,
We can let fear rob us of some of life's most exciting and fun adventures or we can take a deep breath and give it a try and reap the rewards. Look what you did for Charles (and yourself).
Pat, the first of almost any experience can be scarey. Then the second go round you are much more comfortable with it, and as you pointed out it may even be fun.
Pat: Fear is a full life's worst enemy! Eleanor Roosevelt said, "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do." How true!
Pat,
Good blog. I like the content, the theme, the lesson. Enjoyable. I have never done that but it seems like it would be fun. Probably as close as I will ever get to a parachute.
Pat! I'm with Leesa! I would love to have been there for the first one! My neice wanted to to go on a ride at Myrtle Beach with my daughter. Then we got her strapped in - and all of a sudden she was afraid! We watched her - tried the thumbs up thing - smiled at her - and we watched the terror in her eyes and face... then - she relaxed - and it all got better!
Pat- How well we all know that constant companion called 'fear'. Glad to see that he was brushed aside once again.
This is a really sweet post. He will always remember the first time he flew through the air with his Aunt Pat ~ what an adrenaline rush! It's even convinced me that I will definitely give it a try when I have the opportunity, and I'm afraid of heights! If a 12 year old can decide that he wants to do it again after being so afraid the first time, I'm convinced I need to give it a go as well.
Wow! I'm not sure I would have had your courage, but with a fun 12 year old beside me I could probably overcome the fear factor.
Awesome analogy.
Leesa, this was a fun one to write, and I think that he's gotten over it.
Cynthia, yeah, fear is just one of those things it's best to learn to face at a young age.
Gary, I've now had three parasail rides, and I can't wait to do it again! It's hard the first time because you aren't sure what risks you're actually taking.
Steve, I love the Eleanor quote!
Steven, you will never in this lifetime see me jump out of an airplane! This is as close as I will get!
Eleanor, I'm just so relieved that he didn't lose his cookies in my direction!
Martha, and the next time, he'll really love it!
And Jeannie, when you do it, it's a whole lot easier and safer to find an outfit that takes you up from the back deck of a boat, and not the run along the beach until you start to rise! The guys who ran this operation (Dennis Parasail) were really careful with their charges and actually inspired a lot of confidence when I needed it.
From several hundred feet in the air the FSBO's don't look so scary do they. Nice story good thing it worked out or dad would have been in trouble for ever on that one.
oh you are a brave soul... I don't know that I could do this.... glad you had a great time.. it is funny how we can be scared to death about something and once we do it.... LOVE it
Great story! My 12 year old is very cautious, probably a result of being raised by a neurotic mom! I'm glad he got over his fear and enjoyed it. I've always wanted to do it but have always been very afraid.
Whenever we go to the ocean Arthur wants us to take a ride in one of those. Since "I rule" we haven't done it yet. He tells me I should have more respect for my elders and do as he says - sure I willNOT. Karen