Fear - Thunder and Lightening

Thunder and Lightening

Growing up, I loved Thunder and Lightening.  The sky was bright and lit up every few seconds and we would count the seconds between loud thunderous claps to see if the storm was moving away yet.  We would sit at the window watching.

My kids love thunderstorms too - but only when it is during the day.  At night - that's another story!  Thunderstorms at night lead to fears that I can not control for my daughter.  Several years ago, the lights went out when we had thunderstorms because of a short in an electrical fuse box/wire near my community.  Once, I was not sitting next to Bella when the lights went out and she was so scared that she shook uncontrollably until the lights returned and the storm passed.  Flash lights helped but did not solve the problem. Since then, this fear has consumed her.

Last night, moments after I put Bella to sleep the sky opened up and a loud thunder and lightening storm lit up the sky for an hour.  After 45 minutes of uncontrollable shaking and crying, Bella finally threw up her dinner - and started to calm down enough to lie down and try to relax.  If it were up to her, she would crawl back inside my belly whenever there is a nighttime thunderstorm.  Her fear is so powerful, it becomes all consuming.  She can't think of anything else - expecting the lights to go out at every moment!  We have not had a black out from a thunderstorm in over 2 years but the fear remains.

I understand her fear - in fact, I know it all too well.  Only my fear is of roller coasters.  The feeling of the car going up the hill is relatively easy but the moment the car goes over the top is so frightening to me that I am paralyzed with emotion and fear.  My stomach lands in my throat, my body covers in goose bumps and mentally, I become in-stable. So instead, I sit on a bench watching my kids go on roller coasters every time we go to a theme park wondering how it is that I can not get over this fear.  By the way, its the same for diving.  The idea of entering a pool head first is impossible for me - Feet first is all I can do....although I will note, I can swim (and well for that matter) but diving - NEVER.

What are you afraid of?