from an unlikely teacher on
with pain
Yesterday I was on my roof cleaning the gutters. This alone is cause for celebration. I felt strong
enough and steady enough to be doing it. What was so amazing was the vivid lesson about my reaction to pain that I received by an unlikely ally, a yellow jacket (a wasp).
I was cleaning out the gutter, minding my own business when I hear a very distinct and close BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ! A yellow jacket was buzzing around my head and near my face. I freaked! Thoughts ran through my mind, “ I could fall if I got stung, I could lose an eye! I’ll make it more angry if I swipe at it.” It took everything I had to just stay still and shut my eyes. My whole body was rigid with fear but I stayed still. I tried to breathe to let some of the fear go and after what seemed like an eternity the buzzing faded and stopped.
Do yellow jackets sense fear? Are they attracted by it? Or was it the bright orange latex gloves I was wearing? I have no idea but as I felt into my body I realized that I was reacting just like I do when pain buzzes by.
All of my muscles went rigid with fear, my breathing was shallow - I held my breath for a while, and my attention was completely focused on the buzzing and the what-ifs. This was a natural reaction
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Photographs: freedigitalphotos.net - phanlop88