Friday, April 16, 2010


A Hole in the Sand

He was the universal boy, his mirror image easily found at play under the bright blue diadem of sky that stretches over every beach on the planet.  Armed with more than his share of mischief, wheat-coloured hair all tousled, he spent the whole of the afternoon digging holes in the sand, as focused as a mole.  I had watched him from over my knitting, smiling occasionally at his inexhaustible focus upon the task at hand.

Later that evening, as I was running with Edward along the very same plot of warm sand, my ankle found one of those newly dug holes, and I spun through the air like a top.  My friends, it was a spectacular fall, with a landing worthy of a photograph album. Fortunately for my ego, The Songwriter wasn’t quick enough on the camera to formally document my moment of grace so you’ll just have to trust me on the vividness of its theatricality.  

Now I know it’s a cliche, but true nonetheless -  whenever one falls it always feels like slow motion.   It seems to take forever, all those strolling seconds, each one spent in fearful anticipation of the unavoidable landing to come.  But this time was different; this time I was laughing.  You see, Edward is a joy to watch at the seaside - he runs with such happy abandon, knowing not what this strange, windy place called The Beach is really all about, knowing only that he loves it with a passion.  He tosses his head, he jumps in the air, he gambols like a lamb on a hilltop.  It is impossible to canter alongside him with a serious face.  So yes, I was laughing outloud as I fell.  No fear whatsoever.  Just laughs.  Laughing when I fell, laughing during my fall, and all through my inelegant sprawl in the sand.  And it was though I had landed on feathers.  No pain, no soreness - not then, not later.

Afterwards I thought that surely this must be the secret to a happy maneuver through our time here on earth.  If only we could manage to banish fear from our lives, just think what a world we could have.  When one digs through the hard clay of racism or opens the trap door of hate, there lying at the bottom, half hidden, lurks the malignant knot of fear, sending out dark ribbons of anger to bind up our souls and paralyze our minds.  Fear of change, of failure, or of the unknown, fear of illness, of loss, or of death -left unchecked, these can malevolently influence so much of our judgment. Where we live, where we holiday, the person we marry, the person we vote for, our choice of careers, even our faith - all can be so sadly shaped by fear that they reflect nothing of our true selves, and nothing of the truth.

Did my lack of fear throw a blanket beneath me to soften my fall at the beach?  No doubt I was more relaxed without its yoke around my neck as I fell, so maybe it did.  Could the absence of fear make all of life’s falls a bit gentler?  
It may be a lifelong process to banish fear from our lives, but surely it is one worthy of our undertaking.   
Just imagine what we could all do without it.

36 comments:

  1. I like your thinking in this post...

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  2. Dear Pamela, I thought that your opening to this posting to be wonderful in the way in which you portrayed 'the boy' digging in the sand. And then, artfully, you led one on to the fall, and the falling, which in turn conveyed a very serious thought and message.

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  3. So very true. I've often wondered at what point in our lives we develop that fear of the unknown. We're not born with it as you can tell from the complete innocence of a young child. Excellent post
    xoxo Pattie

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  4. I am glad you are fine from your fall and your words as always are so elegant and full of grace.
    Love Jeanne♥

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  5. A desirable philosophy, Pamela. It's true we aren't born with a sense of fear but we acquire it either through experience or by example. A young child will reach out to touch a hot stove and either we shout out to warn or they can discover the painful consequences. From that point on, the unknown holds doubt and from doubt can come fear. Life might be so much richer if we could avoid it.

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  6. Well said Pamela,
    as always...

    Jeanne:)

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  7. You write so achingly beautiful.

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  8. So happy you were unhurt. Familiar with that type of fall, it has a strobe like effect, like ticking slow motion frames. But you are so correct. Fear is the greatest hinderance in life. To conquer fear is to set oneself free.

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  9. Here here...and so beatifully unfurled!

    Fear...to the hills with you!

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  10. I think maybe you've hit upon the very reason God tells us to fear not, but to trust Him instead. So that all of our falls will be soft.

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  11. Without fear I know I would be a much different person in a much different place. I thought the fears in life would ease as my children grew older, but sadly they've been replaced which much bigger ones. Much like they are bigger. The last few months of my mothers life was filled with much fear. Not for herself (as much as I knew) but for all of us she'd leave behind. I loved this piece Pamela. What you write always sinks in deeply, most often smack dab in the heart. x

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  12. Moment of silence ..... A beautiful piece Pamela. So well written and thought provoking. I pictured the fall and Edward so vividly in my mind...Not only was it a great story as stories go but the message behind it was so worthy of much thought and pondering...I shall think of it as I go through my day...

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  13. And what's really sad is that most of the things that we worry about and fear never happen - but that doesn't stop us! Leigh

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  14. Ooh! This gave me shivers, Pamela. What a wonderful, thought provoking post. It reminds me of a recent question I was recently asked by a friend, which I believe is a quote but I don't know by whom: 'What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?'

    I actually haven't figured out the answer to that yet!

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  15. What a pensive post. I have to admit, I don't do alot of things out of fear. Thanks for the enlightenment. It was beautiful.
    Lila Ferraro
    Queen Bedroom Sets

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  16. Oh yes. I work on it every day. Though I must admit I've been pretty damn nervy in my time. Still, always that "oh no" feeling...but one does it anyway. Otherwise, why be here? Hello to Edward...

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  17. A beautiful post, Pamela. I haven't been here for a while (boat internet connection is, hmmmm, sporadic!) but what a joy to return. And how you have made me think. I agree wholeheartedly and liken it to a child.

    My daughter jumps into the pool with no fear, embraces each new activity in life without fear and I often think to myself "if only we could somehow retain that childhood approach to life." I think that yes, we would be a lot happier (and in a lot less pain physically and emotionally!) if we could.

    Fear holds us back from so many things and shapes who we are, and to go through life trying to strip all that back and follow our hearts; our true feelings - is a challenge. But I certainly try :-)

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  18. Yes,just imagine...but we are strong..we can make it..like you did ,Smiling..stand up, dust the sand away and carry on..:))))
    Great words Pamela..thank you!

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  19. What a good thought here. You could be right. Fear can be so binding.

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  20. Had a crazy fall like that down the stairs with my baby in my arms when she was just a few months old. And it was in such slow motion! I felt as if I could stop myself and get up, but no such thing.
    Wishing you a beautiful weekend!

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  21. You are a philosopher, Pamela. This was such a wonderful, wonderful post.

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  22. I did laugh when I read of you laughing when you fell down a hole. I think you are right and that when you laugh you relax all your muscles and the fall is softer somehow. I think it is the thought of hurting yourself which results in you stiffening up and hurting yourself...lol.

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  23. Oh Pamela,

    It has been months since I have visited you, and you were so kind to come to wish me a happy birthday! Your world is stunning and magical, and Edward is surely a blessed beast! What a life he lives with you, so full of pleasure and beauty! Fabulous artwork and magnificent detail in storytelling.....many thanks and wishes to you for a splendid weekend! Anita

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  24. Well said ( as always) Pamela....Have a lovely weekend, xv.

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  25. Hi,
    You're so right !! And I like the way you say it in. This post of yours I will try to remember.

    Take care !

    xo
    Anci

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  26. You are absolutely right in all particulars. You have outlined life's ultimate wisdom - or at least pin-pointed where it lies. How to pull it off, though.. ah, there's the rub!

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  27. Such an interesting thought ..... the absence of fear making life's falls gentler. I fell getting out the bath the other day and am still amazed that I didn't hurt myself badly. It was so unexpected and as it was happening I knew there was nothing I could do about it so I just went with it. Not even a bruise to show for it.

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  28. ......oops, for one horrible moment I was fearful you had an injury. Instead your post was uplifting and thought provoking. You way with words, aaaah.....so beautiful. Love that Edward is a beach boy!

    Thanks for stopping by Pamela and sharing your gardening days. We are fortunate to have these early Spring days with perfect weather, soil at the ready, and an abundance of beautiful plants to choose from. Do tell about the trailing geraniums - I like the sound of these. Yesterday I bought sweet potato vines - always great in a the window box and around the mailbox makes a perfect ground cover for the heat to come. Also found reg. and scented geraniums and coleus, more hot weather color.

    Off now to plant....my hands are growing roots they've been delving in dirt for so many days!!

    Happy weekend dear.

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  29. You always manage to create something magical and good from any experience. I always have a take-home whenever I stop here.
    Have a lovely weekend.

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  30. Enen if the landing wasn't graceful, the words more than made up for it.

    Fear is a crazy, often uncontrollable thing. But I do try very hard not to let it get a firm hold me in all aspects of life, because I fear a life unlived far more than anything else.

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  31. This post is so full of wisdom. If we laugh as we fall, surely the harm will be less. Last year, on an exhilarating spring day I was running on a hard gravel road with Ed and Reub and like you, I took a BIG fall. I got scraped by the gravel, but inexplicably nothing was broken or even bruised. Surely the fun I was having must have helped. Didn't think of it until just now.

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  32. When I was undergoing chemotherapy, a friend gave me a handful of comedy CDs. It was the BEST medicine.

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  33. They say there is nothing to fear but fear itself, actually I am not sure who said this but worth remembering when the going gets tough.

    I hope your ankle is on the mend.

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  34. Banishing fear, what a wonderful concept! Let's work on it; let's act like Edward and accept the world as it is, at face value. It would be refreshingly innocent.

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  35. They tell you when you are learning to horse ride to try and relax even when you know you are going to fall- and if you can do it- which is very hard- it does hurt less- it's all true, because the muscles are relaxed. I have managed it at times- basically when I was falling on something soft- and yes I fell off, laughed and got back on, but it's so hard when you know it's hard ground, or road- you tense and that makes your balance worse and before you know it you are off and bruised!

    Laughter gets you through most bad things doesn't it.

    I really enjoyed the story- i will try and remember it if I'm having a bad day!

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I love to read your comments! Each and every one! Though I'm always reading your comments, I may not respond in the comment section. If you want to write me directly, you may do so at pamela@pamelaterry.net. Thank you for reading!