We catch things from our parents like a “bug.” But unlike a cold, I believe those things we catch never go away. I know I caught claustrophobia from my mother. In my child recollection it was either in the stuck elevator going up to the top floor of my orthodontist or when they had to back up the submarine ride at Disneyland. Not sure which–maybe both.
Patient and calm is an understatement of my mom who was the second mother of 10 children (her sibs), a mother of six, and grandmother of 27. Feeling stuck and out of control made her a crazed animal. She was my rock, so I became one too. When we finally got air, we both were bonded with the “bug.”
Drapes or blinds closed, tight clothing, an escape route, locked doors, summer heat… flying in a closed up tin can called an airplane, and of course elevators and submarines; these are just a few…
But, the good thing about claustrophobia is appreciating how nice it feels letting the sun shine on you as you awake in the morning with those little dust sparkles floating in the beams; letting the cool earth air in through the window to freshen a room and make it feel alive; feel the gentle presence of the tree as it offers us shade and stability of the earth; comfortable clothing to make you feel exactly that–comfortable; sitting by “the door” gets you to the bathroom quicker, and who really likes planes, elevators, and submarines anyway! No one or you lie.
What we catch we endure.
But we do catch things…
What do I do now? 