Fear

My challenge to write a piece headed FEAR of 250 words (ish)...

I moved to North Yorkshire I needed practice in open water. I learned of a lake in the Richmond area and went.

Oh my goodness, how scary, get me out of here…NOW! Swimming in a lake is DEFINITELY not like swimming in an indoor pool; lanes, lifeguards, measured, see the bottom, and safe! I mean, who wants to get eaten by Jaws? No-one, so why! I dipped in, and swan to the buoy. I swam back. No way! Got to do this, I thought! I can do this! But, I cannot see the bottom. No way! I swam back to the buoy. Panicked, and got out, fast! Fear had taken over and that was it!

The following year I tried again. Still battling against this fear I tried; heart racing, fast breathing, etc.

Although this is a diving and water sports lake I have since learned that yes, there are various vehicles on the bottom, but that is all. No bodies or even Jaws! This still does not quite install any faith in me, still convinced Jaws is lurking in these murky waters.

There is one particular part where I do have to swim breast-stroke with my head out of the water. Seriously, swimming front crawl I can turn my head under the water’s surface and there is a small boat, and if I come upon it I freak out! My heart stops, I tighten, and I immediately freeze. Something really might come out of it and attack me.

Fear, as I have it, is an irrational thought conjuring imaginary processes that I succumb to.

NB. I write this, on Sunday 28th May 2017, I got in from work last night. I was flicking through the channels and Jaws started. That was the second time I watched it all the way through without be scared.