Wednesday 17 October 2012

What do we really need?

Hello

I fell out of a tree yesterday! It was very exciting, I was out walking with my partner at Cadbury Castle in Somerset and we were talking about life and how as I have got older I have lost my sense of adventure in many ways; indeed I have become afraid of doing things which might be fun in case I get hurt. 
It seems like a sensible course of action, I am after all thirty seven and with three children I am in a position of responsibility, indeed I have a duty to take care of myself, do I not? I should be sensible, prudent, rational, sober, boring.........

Life is there to be lived, I don't think my children would be proud of me for avoiding anything which could be fun on the grounds that I might end up a bit hurt! Perhaps having responsibilities is just a convenient excuse anyway, "Oh no I can't possibly climb that tree, I have children you know....." 
Having children doesn't stop me from getting in a car and driving about in a metal box on wheels, or from climbing ladders to change light bulbs. There are rather a lot of accidents (statistically speaking) from falling in this country! 
No! my mind selects things for doing and not doing in a seemingly rational way, after all I need to drive the car, and I do not need to climb trees. Or do I? 

I need to have fun, I need to enjoy my life, I need to feel exhilarated  I need to feel like I am alive! I am here for a physical experience after all, otherwise surely I would not have a body! 

Ipso facto I need to climb trees! Ha! 

So there we were and my partner said "climb that tree, it's perfect for climbing." It was a rather beautiful oak tree with many rather conveniently placed limbs for climbing. I got about seven feet up before the world started to swim around me, my belly tingled in an alarming way and I panicked! I hugged the tree tight, I clung to it for safety for a few minutes and then when nothing happened I started to relax! 
If I was to climb this tree every day I would probably figure out the best way of doing it, it would become second nature, I would not need to be scared. I relaxed some more and realised it was fun! I decided to climb higher, I looked up and down and started to reach up to some higher branches, I felt excited and brave. I climbed a couple of feet higher and then realised that to get any further I was going to have to boost myself up from one foot while pulling my body with my arms.
That was when it happened! I boosted and the branch chose that exact moment to crumble beneath me! What a surprise! Luckily for me my partner was very close to me and he slowed my fall by pushing me bodily into the tree trunk, so it was in fact more of a slide than a fall! 

I landed silently in the nettles! I was rather shocked! I had not been expecting to fall. It was all very very exciting and very exhilarating! I loved it. 
Who knew that falling out of a tree could be a good life enhancing experience? Who knew that climbing and falling were missing from my life?

I am definitely gong to climb more trees, I probably would have tried again yesterday if I had not been quite so sore! I learned a very valuable lesson: always check the branches before you put all your weight on them! After all it's not actually that easy to fall from a tree, something has to go wrong, one would never simply let go and fall off! 

Live life! Live Life ! Live Life! 

This may be the only one you get! This is my life and I'm going to have fun.......




Today I have Loving Gratitude for Trees! 
I have Loving Gratitude for the aches and pains today which remind me of the fun I had yesterday!
I have Loving Gratitude for heavy rain
I have Loving Gratitude for herbal medicine
I have Loving Gratitude for books
I have Loving Gratitude for my house which shelters me from the storm
I have Loving Gratitude for my cosy bed where I sleep and recouperate
I have Loving Gratitude for my children
I have Loving Gratitude for wild food
I have Loving Gratitude for the bravery I found for climbing trees!

love Klara. 

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