#166 Facing fears.

I went to a waterpark for the first time in my adult life today. I had fun on the first tame tube waterslides, then I faced my fear. I took the ‘screamin’ demon’ waterslide on my back — no inner tubes (airbag, safety net, the only thing between me and pavement if I derailed over the edge) allowed. And I regretted it the moment I slid out of the starting spot. It felt like my internal organs were moving faster than my body was able to, like I was free falling with absolutely no control, like something in my guts had shifted permanently, and I just squeezed my eyes shut, flexed every muscle in my body in an effort to slow it down, to kill me so the slide wouldn’t. BUT… I did it. I flew down that thing at 40 miles per hour, and Ben and Allison saw it happen. My mother would have shuddered if she had seen.